St. Tammany Parish Arrest Records
St. Tammany Parish arrest records are managed by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office at 1200 Champagne Street in Covington, Louisiana. The sheriff's website at stpso.com includes an inmate lookup, arrest records access, and a public records portal. St. Tammany is one of the larger parishes in Louisiana by population, and the sheriff's office runs more than 37 departments with over 700 employees. Booking records and initial arrest reports are public under Louisiana law. This page covers how to find and request St. Tammany Parish arrest records using the tools available online and in person.
St. Tammany Parish Quick Facts
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Randy Smith leads the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, one of the largest law enforcement agencies in Louisiana. The office operates 37 departments and employs more than 700 people across multiple facilities. The main office is at 1200 Champagne Street in Covington, and the main number is (985) 893-6250. The sheriff's website at stpso.com is a full-service portal where you can look up inmates, search arrest records, submit public records requests, and access other services.
| Sheriff | Randy Smith |
|---|---|
| Address | 1200 Champagne Street, Covington, LA 70433 |
| Phone | (985) 893-6250 |
| Website | stpso.com |
The website is well-developed compared to many parish sheriff sites. You can use it to search for current inmates, view arrest records, and submit a public records request without calling or visiting the office. The public records portal on the site follows the requirements of LRS 44:1, which gives any adult the right to inspect records held by government agencies. All responses to records requests must happen within three business days under state law.
Booking records and initial arrest reports in St. Tammany Parish are public under LRS 44:3. These records include the person's name, date of birth, charges, and arrest date. They are open from the moment a booking happens and stay public even if charges are later dropped or the case is dismissed.
Search St. Tammany Parish Inmate Records Online
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office offers an inmate lookup directly on its website at stpso.com. You can search by name and view basic information about who is currently in custody at the parish jail. The site also provides access to arrest records through the public records portal, which lets you submit requests online. This is one of the more complete online systems available among Louisiana parish sheriff offices.
The Louisiana State Police maintains statewide public safety data. The screenshot below shows the Louisiana State Police website, which connects residents to records and safety resources across all 64 parishes including St. Tammany.
The Louisiana State Police site at lsp.org is useful when you need records that span more than one parish or when you are looking for statewide public safety information.
The VINE notification system at vinelink.vineapps.com/state/LA covers St. Tammany Parish and lets anyone sign up for free custody status alerts. If you want to know when a specific person is released from the St. Tammany Parish jail, you can register by phone, email, or text. The service is free and does not require you to give your name. This is a helpful tool for victims, family members, and community members who want to stay informed.
For people who are not sure which parish holds the person they are looking for, the statewide VINE portal is the best starting point. It covers all Louisiana facilities that participate in the LAVNS network.
The VINE database covers all St. Tammany Parish jail facilities and connects to the statewide network, allowing you to track custody changes or locate a person transferred to another facility.
Requesting Arrest Records in St. Tammany Parish
You can submit a public records request to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office through the online portal at stpso.com, by calling (985) 893-6250, or by going in person to 1200 Champagne Street in Covington. For a specific arrest record, have the full name of the person, the approximate date, and the type of document you need. Fees may apply for copies but not for viewing a public record.
LRS 44:3 makes initial arrest reports and booking records public. That means you do not need to give a reason for wanting them. The agency must respond within three business days under LRS 44:1. If they deny a request, they must state the reason in writing. In St. Tammany Parish, the online portal makes the process faster than in many other parishes since you can submit your request without visiting in person.
For your own certified criminal history, use the Louisiana State Police process under LRS 15:588. This involves submitting fingerprints and paying a fee. It is a separate process from requesting arrest records at the local level and covers your full state criminal history rather than just a single booking record.
Note: The public records portal on the sheriff's website is the fastest way to submit and track a records request without making a phone call or visiting the office.
Local Police Departments in St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish has several municipal police departments. Each makes arrests within its city limits and holds its own initial reports. If the arrest happened in Covington, Mandeville, or Slidell, the city police department holds the first arrest report. You would need to contact that department directly for a copy.
| Covington Police Department | 609 N Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (985) 892-8500 |
| Mandeville Police Department | 3101 East Causeway Approach, Mandeville, LA 70448 |
| Phone | (985) 626-9711 |
| Slidell Police Department | 2118 Second Street, Slidell, LA 70458 |
| Phone | (985) 646-4344 |
Slidell is the largest city in St. Tammany Parish by population and has a dedicated arrest records page on this site. See the Slidell arrest records page for more specific information about how the Slidell Police Department handles records and what resources are available in that city.
In all cases, once a person is booked into the parish jail after a city arrest, their record appears in the sheriff's inmate database as well. So you may find the information on the sheriff's site even if a city officer made the original arrest.
St. Tammany Parish Arrest Record Laws
LRS 44:3 governs public access to arrest records in Louisiana. It makes initial arrest reports, booking records, summons, citations, and bills of information open to any adult. These records are public from the time they are created. A dropped charge or not-guilty verdict does not seal or remove the original arrest record from public access.
The full criminal history database managed by the Louisiana State Police falls under LRS 15:587 and is not open for general public searches. What is open is the jail roster, individual booking reports, and anything filed in open court. These distinctions matter if you are trying to understand what you can and cannot get without going through a formal background check process.
LRS 44:1 is the foundational law. It applies to every government agency in Louisiana. It gives any adult the right to inspect or copy public records, sets the three-day response requirement, and establishes the right to go to court if a government agency refuses a lawful request. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and all city police departments in the parish are subject to this law.
Cities in St. Tammany Parish
Slidell is the qualifying city in St. Tammany Parish with a dedicated arrest records page on this site. See the Slidell arrest records page for local courthouse information, city police contacts, and how to access records specific to Slidell. Other communities in the parish, including Covington, Mandeville, and Bogalusa, are served through the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office at 1200 Champagne Street in Covington.
Nearby Parishes
St. Tammany Parish is in the southeastern corner of Louisiana and shares borders with several parishes. Each has its own law enforcement agency and records process.