Find Arrest Records in Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish arrest records are available through the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and the New Orleans Police Department. Orleans Parish operates as a consolidated city-parish, meaning New Orleans and the parish are one government. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office maintains a public jail roster through LAVNS, and you can check inmate status online or by phone. This page covers both agencies, how to search for records, and what Louisiana law says about public access to arrest information.
Orleans Parish Quick Facts
Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, commonly called OPSO, is the primary agency for jail operations and arrest records in Orleans Parish. OPSO operates the parish jail and maintains booking records for all people taken into custody in the parish. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2028, New Orleans, LA 70146. The main phone number is (504) 827-6777. You can reach the Records Division at that same number to ask about custody status or to request a copy of a booking record.
OPSO's website is at opso.gov. The site has information about the jail, inmate services, and how to make records requests. The agency operates under the same Louisiana Public Records Act that applies to all Louisiana government agencies. LRS 44:1 gives any adult the right to inspect and copy public records. LRS 44:3 makes initial arrest reports and booking records public by default.
Orleans Parish is unique in Louisiana because the parish and the city of New Orleans are the same governing unit. This consolidated structure means that both city and parish law enforcement work in the same geographic area. The sheriff runs the jail, while the New Orleans Police Department handles patrol and makes most arrests. Both agencies generate records relevant to arrest history in Orleans Parish.
Orleans Parish Inmate Roster Online
OPSO publishes a public jail roster through the LAVNS system at orleans.lavns.org. The site states directly: "This agency is providing this roster of incarcerated offenders to the public and law enforcement in the interest of public safety." The roster is maintained by OPSO and shows current inmates held in the Orleans Parish jail.
The Orleans LAVNS roster at orleans.lavns.org lists people currently in custody at the Orleans Parish jail.
The LAVNS roster for Orleans Parish shows current inmates with booking information, and allows you to register for VINE custody alerts at no cost.
The VINE notification feature is available through the LAVNS roster. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Once you find a person in the system, you can register to receive an alert whenever their custody status changes. This is free and anonymous. Alerts can come by phone, text, or email. This is useful if you need to know when someone is released from the Orleans Parish jail.
For a statewide inmate search, the LAVNS portal at vinelink.vineapps.com/state/LA covers multiple Louisiana parishes. The toll-free VINE line at 1-866-528-6748 is available around the clock for phone-based status checks.
New Orleans Police Department Records
The New Orleans Police Department, known as NOPD, handles most street-level arrests in the city of New Orleans. When NOPD officers make an arrest, the person is typically transported to the Orleans Parish jail and processed by OPSO. Both agencies generate records as part of this process. The arrest report may be held by NOPD, while the booking record is maintained by OPSO.
If you need an arrest report from an incident handled by NOPD, you should contact that department directly. For booking records and jail-related documents, contact OPSO at (504) 827-6777 or through the OPSO website at opso.gov. Knowing which agency made the arrest helps you direct your request to the right place.
Both NOPD and OPSO are subject to LRS 44:1 and LRS 44:3. That means their initial arrest reports, booking records, and related documents are public. You do not need to give a reason to access these records. A written request is the standard method for obtaining copies.
How to Request Orleans Parish Arrest Records
To request records from OPSO, call (504) 827-6777 or submit a written request by mail to P.O. Box 2028, New Orleans, LA 70146. Include the full name of the person, the approximate date of arrest, and the type of record you need. The office can charge a fee for copying records but cannot charge for the right to inspect them.
Under LRS 44:1, agencies must respond to public records requests within three business days. If they need more time, they must notify you in writing. If they deny a request, the denial must be in writing with the reason stated. Records that are public under LRS 44:3 cannot be withheld without a specific legal exemption.
For your own statewide criminal history, that request goes to the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information. The BCII unit at lsp.org handles those requests. You will need to submit fingerprints and pay a fee. This is a separate process from what OPSO handles.
Note: Sealed records, juvenile records, and active investigative files are not available through public records requests, even in Orleans Parish.
Orleans Parish Arrest Record Laws
LRS 44:3 is the foundation of public access to arrest records in Louisiana. It says that initial arrest reports, booking records, summons, and citations are public records. This is true even if charges were later dropped or the case never went to trial. The rule applies to OPSO records just as it does to any other Louisiana sheriff's office.
LRS 44:1, the Public Records Act, sets the broader framework. Any adult can request public records from any Louisiana government agency. The agency must respond within three days and cannot charge you just to look at records. If a record is denied, the agency must explain why in writing. If you think a denial was wrong, you can file a mandamus action in district court to compel release of the record.
The full Louisiana Criminal History database is restricted under LRS 15:587. This means you cannot run a free background check through State Police systems without authorization. But the local booking records and jail roster at OPSO are public and available to anyone under LRS 44:3. These are two different systems, and the restriction on one does not apply to the other.
Cities in Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish is coterminous with the city of New Orleans, meaning the parish and city share the same borders and government. Arrest records for New Orleans are handled by both OPSO and NOPD as described above.
Nearby Parishes
Orleans Parish borders several other parishes in the greater New Orleans area. Each has its own sheriff and records system.