St. Landry Parish Arrest Records
St. Landry Parish arrest records are maintained by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office in Opelousas, Louisiana. You can search current inmate information through the parish's LAVNS portal at stlandry.lavns.org, which shows who is held in the jail right now. Booking records and initial arrest reports are public under Louisiana law, meaning any adult can ask for them. This page covers how to find St. Landry Parish arrest records using the sheriff's office, the LAVNS system, and local police departments that also make arrests in the area.
St. Landry Parish Quick Facts
St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the parish and holds all booking and arrest records for anyone processed through the parish jail. Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz is now in his fifth term, having been sworn in for this latest term in 2024. The office is located at 1592 East Prudhomme Street in Opelousas. This is also where the parish jail is located, so booking records and inmate files are all kept at the same address.
| Sheriff | Bobby J. Guidroz |
|---|---|
| Address | 1592 East Prudhomme Street, Opelousas, LA 70570 |
| Main Phone | (337) 948-6516 |
| Records Line | (337) 948-6527 |
The records line, (337) 948-6527, is the best number to call if you need a specific booking document or want to know how to submit a public records request. Staff can tell you what records are available, how to pick them up in person, and whether fees apply for copies. For general questions, the main number at (337) 948-6516 will connect you to the right person.
Louisiana's Public Records Act, found at LRS 44:1, gives any adult the right to inspect records held by government agencies. The sheriff's office is covered by this law. If you ask for a public record and they deny it, they must tell you why in writing. Initial arrest reports and booking records fall under LRS 44:3, which makes them open to the public even when a case has not yet gone to trial.
Search the St. Landry Inmate Roster Online
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office publishes a live inmate roster through the Louisiana Victim Notification System. The portal is at stlandry.lavns.org. You can browse by first letter of the last name. Each entry shows the person's name, date of birth, race, sex, arrest date, and the charges they face. This is a free search. You do not need to create an account to view the roster.
The screenshot below shows the Louisiana State Police homepage, which links out to state-level arrest databases and public safety resources for all of Louisiana, including St. Landry Parish.
The Louisiana State Police site at lsp.org provides links to statewide public safety data and serves as a resource when you need records that span more than one parish.
LAVNS also offers a notification service. If you want to track a specific person held in the St. Landry Parish jail, you can sign up to receive alerts when their custody status changes. Notifications come by phone, text, or email. The service is free and anonymous. You do not have to give your name to register. This can be a useful tool for victims who want to know right away when someone is released.
The statewide LAVNS portal at vinelink.vineapps.com/state/LA lets you search across parishes if you are not sure which facility holds the person you are looking for. This can save time if the individual may have been transferred or arrested in a different parish.
The VINE system shown above provides custody status updates and notification options for anyone held in Louisiana jails, including St. Landry Parish.
How to Request Arrest Records in St. Landry Parish
To get copies of arrest records, call the records line at (337) 948-6527 first. The staff there can confirm whether the record exists and what you need to bring or submit. In most cases, you will need to provide the full name of the person, the approximate date of arrest, and the type of document you want. The office is at 1592 East Prudhomme Street, Opelousas, and you can go in person during regular business hours.
If you prefer to write in, you can mail a records request to the same address. List the name, date range, and the record type clearly. The office must respond within three business days under LRS 44:1. They can charge for copies, but they cannot refuse to let you view a public record. If the record is public, no explanation is required from you.
For your own criminal history, Louisiana gives you the right to request a certified copy through the Louisiana State Police under LRS 15:588. There is a fee for this service, and you must submit fingerprints along with the request form. This is separate from the basic arrest records held at the sheriff's office.
Note: Call ahead before visiting in person to confirm office hours and whether the record you need requires an appointment.
Opelousas and Local Police Departments
Several municipal police departments operate within St. Landry Parish. These agencies make their own arrests and keep their own initial reports. Their records are also public under LRS 44:3, though you have to contact each agency separately to get records they hold. The sheriff's office only has records for arrests made by the sheriff's deputies or bookings processed at the parish jail.
The Opelousas Police Department handles law enforcement in the city of Opelousas. You can reach them at (337) 948-2500 or go to their office at 107 East North Street in Opelousas. If an arrest took place inside the city limits of Opelousas, the Opelousas PD may hold the original report.
| Opelousas Police Department | 107 East North Street, Opelousas, LA 70570 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (337) 948-2500 |
| Eunice Police Department | 300 South 2nd Street, Eunice, LA 70535 |
| Phone | (337) 457-6111 |
| Port Barre Police Department | 202 Saizan Street, Port Barre, LA 70577 |
| Phone | (337) 585-7646 |
Eunice and Port Barre both have their own police departments as well. If the arrest happened in one of those cities, the respective department is your first stop for the original booking report. You can then check the sheriff's LAVNS roster to see whether the person was transferred to the parish jail after the initial arrest.
St. Landry Parish Arrest Record Laws
Louisiana's open records rules are specific about what is public and what is not. LRS 44:3 lays out which law enforcement records must be shared with the public. That list includes initial arrest reports, booking records, summons, citations, and bills of information. These are open even before a case goes to trial and even if charges are eventually dropped. You do not need to prove any particular reason to access them.
Records that are restricted include the full criminal history database held by the state police under LRS 15:587. That database is not open to general public searches. Only certain agencies and authorized parties can access the complete LACCH system. What you can access without restriction is the jail roster, the initial booking report, and any charge information filed in court.
LRS 44:1 is the foundation of all public records access in Louisiana. It applies to every government agency in the state, including the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office and every local police department in the parish. If a record is public and the agency refuses to give it to you, you can seek a court order under Louisiana law to compel release. This is rarely needed for standard arrest records.
Cities in St. Landry Parish
There are no qualifying cities in St. Landry Parish with dedicated arrest records pages on this site. All communities in the parish, including Opelousas, Eunice, Melville, and Port Barre, are served by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office at 1592 East Prudhomme Street, Opelousas. Call (337) 948-6516 for general inquiries or (337) 948-6527 for the records line.
Nearby Parishes
St. Landry Parish borders several parishes in central and southern Louisiana. Each has its own sheriff and records system.