Ouachita Parish Arrest Records
Ouachita Parish arrest records are maintained by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office in Monroe, Louisiana. The sheriff's office runs the Ouachita Correctional Center and provides an online portal where you can search for inmates and check warrant information. Booking records and initial arrest reports are public under Louisiana law. This page explains the tools available to search for Ouachita Parish arrest records, how to request documents, and what rules govern access to these records.
Ouachita Parish Quick Facts
Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office
The Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office, commonly known as OPSO, is headquartered at 400 Saint John Street, Monroe, LA 71201. The main phone number is (318) 329-1200. The sheriff's website is at opso.net. OPSO handles all law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Ouachita Parish and runs the parish jail. Every booking in the parish goes through this office, making it the primary source for arrest records in Ouachita Parish.
The Ouachita Correctional Center, known as OCC, is the parish jail facility. It is located at 4801 Hwy. 165 Bypass, Monroe, LA 71202. The jail phone number is (318) 324-2700. If you need to check on an inmate's custody status or ask about bond, calling the OCC directly is a good option. Jail staff can tell you whether a person is in custody and provide basic booking information.
OPSO's website offers several online features including an inmate and jail portal, a warrant search tool, and a sex offender registry. These tools are free to use and available around the clock. The inmate portal and warrant search let you check records without having to call or visit the office during business hours.
Ouachita Parish Inmate and Jail Portal
OPSO runs an online inmate and jail portal through its website at opso.net. This portal lets members of the public search for people currently held at the Ouachita Correctional Center.
The OPSO website at opso.net is the main access point for the inmate portal, warrant search, and other public records tools for Ouachita Parish.
The OPSO website provides access to the inmate portal, warrant search, and sex offender registry for Ouachita Parish, all available for free without an account.
The warrant search tool on the OPSO site lets you check whether a person has an active warrant in Ouachita Parish. This is a separate function from the inmate roster, which shows only people currently in custody. A warrant can exist for someone who has not yet been arrested, so both tools serve different purposes.
For custody alerts, the statewide VINE system is available at vinelink.vineapps.com/state/LA or by calling 1-866-528-6748. VINE lets you register anonymously to receive notifications when an offender's custody status changes. This is a free service available to anyone in Louisiana.
How to Request Public Records from OPSO
OPSO has specific rules for public records requests. According to the sheriff's office: "All requests for public records directed to the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office must be made in writing by United States Mail." You cannot submit a records request by email or in person. The request must be mailed.
Send your written request to: Custodian of Records, Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office, 400 St. John, Suite 109, Monroe, LA 71201. Your request must include your name, your age, and a return address. Without these three items, the office cannot process your request. Be specific about what record you need, including the name of the person involved and the approximate date of the arrest or incident.
OPSO notes that "not all records in the possession of the Sheriff's Office are deemed public records." This is consistent with Louisiana law, which exempts certain categories of records from public access. Active investigative files, sealed court records, and some personnel records are among the types that may be withheld. Booking records and initial arrest reports, however, are public under LRS 44:3.
Note: Mail your request to Suite 109, not to the main street address, to ensure it reaches the Custodian of Records.
Arrest Record Laws in Ouachita Parish
LRS 44:1, the Louisiana Public Records Act, applies to the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office just as it does to any other government agency in the state. Any adult has the right to inspect and copy public records. The agency must respond within three business days. If a record is denied, the denial must be in writing with a stated reason.
LRS 44:3 makes initial arrest reports, booking records, summons, and citations public by default. This means the basic facts of an arrest, including the person's name, the charge, and the date, are open to anyone. The fact that charges may later be dropped does not make a booking record private. Records created at the time of arrest are public from the start.
Some records are not public. LRS 15:587 restricts the Louisiana Criminal History Information database from general public access. This is the statewide compiled criminal history record, separate from local booking records. For a statewide background report, you need to go through the State Police BCII unit, which requires fingerprints and a fee. The local records at OPSO are a different matter entirely and follow the LRS 44:3 public access rule.
Cities in Ouachita Parish
Monroe is the largest city in Ouachita Parish and has its own dedicated page on this site.
Other communities in Ouachita Parish, including West Monroe, Sterlington, and Swartz, are served by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office. Contact OPSO at (318) 329-1200 for records related to those locations.
Nearby Parishes
Ouachita Parish sits in northeast Louisiana and borders several other parishes. Each has its own sheriff and arrest records system.