New Orleans Arrest Records

In the case of felony stops, on-view infractions, or pre-issued warrant pickups, police officers in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, are authorized to make arrests if there is probable cause. These arrests are primarily the responsibility of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). After being apprehended, suspects are booked at the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office's Orleans Justice Center. During intake, digital charge documentation, mugshots, and fingerprinting are completed and uploaded to the Louisiana State Police databases.

Compiling Orleans Parish Arrest Records, which judges and the public may refer to during criminal procedures or background checks, updating jail rosters, and serving as the foundation for prosecution dockets all depend on these records. The legal and administrative influence of arrest files can be extended much beyond the parish level by using them by other organizations like the Louisiana Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system and the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

Are New Orleans Arrests Public Record?

Indeed. The New Orleans Police Department and other public organizations' arrest records are typically available for public viewing under Louisiana's Public Records Law (La. R.S. § 44:1 et seq.). Nevertheless, disclosure is restricted under La. R.S. § 44:3 when making the material public that would:

• Disclose information on a juvenile,
• Obstruct a criminal inquiry or prosecution that is current,
• disclose health or mental health information, or
• contain sensitive information on victims or witnesses.

Agencies are required to redact protected material when possible. It may be necessary to limit access to unredacted reports to those who have a "right, status, or legal interest" in the case—usually the arrestee, legal counsel, or authorized representatives. Juvenile, expunged, and sealed arrest records are private and cannot be made public.

New Orleans Crime Rate

After the pandemic-era spike, New Orleans has witnessed a sharp and positive drop in crime, with new data showing consistent improvement in a number of areas. The city saw 13,270 property crimes and 4,981 violent crimes in 2024, a 12% and 6% decrease from 2023, respectively, according to FBI UCR data and the New Orleans Police Department's 2024 CompStat briefings. Thanks to targeted enforcement and community outreach, motor vehicle thefts decreased by 34% and homicides decreased to 161, a 43% decrease from their 2022 peak.

Overall, 2024 saw a 29% decrease in crime over the year before. Notable drops included a 32% reduction in property crimes, a 14% decrease in crimes against persons, and significant year-over-year declines in armed robberies (38%), nonfatal shootings (44%), and carjackings (49%). Citywide crime is down 29% from pre-pandemic 2019 levels, highlighting a long-term downward trend.

In 2025, the pattern persisted. By May, killings had dropped 34% (61% if one mass-casualty incident in January is excluded), and violent crime had fallen another 20%. Arrests and seizures involving firearms have also decreased, indicating both effective enforcement and fewer occurrences.

However, there are still specific difficulties. Domestic abuse and special victims' cases have somewhat increased, perhaps as a result of better reporting, while aggravated assaults continue to exceed pre-2020 levels.

Find New Orleans Arrest Records

There are several municipal, state, and federal resources available to people looking for arrest records in New Orleans. The primary location for reporting arrests and incidents at the municipal level is the Records and Identification Division of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). Requests for walk-ins can be made at:

NOPD Records and Identification
715 South Broad Street
New Orleans, LA 70119

All requests must include the complete name, birthdate, booking number (where available), or the range of dates of the occurrence. In-person requests require a government-issued photo ID.

Through its case lookup system, the Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal District Court offers online docket searches for arrest-related information. The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information also offers statewide criminal history searches.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office Inmate Locator provides current booking and custody status online if the arrest was accompanied by detention. Interested persons could use the Louisiana DOC Offender Locator to find state prison records and visit pacer.uscourts.gov to search PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) for federal charges. While some systems allow filtering by booking date or charge, online searches normally require a name and birthdate. Each agency has different processing fees and times.

The cost of searching for arrest records varies in New Orleans; NOPD may charge following La. R.S. § 44:32(C)(1)(a) (actual reproduction and staff time). According to federal policy, PACER charges $0.10 per page, but the majority of online inmate lookups are free. State Police background checks cost $26 in La. R.S. § 15:587.B(1).

Free Arrest Record Search in New Orleans

The following are free ways to check for arrest records in New Orleans:

• The Inmate Locator, maintained by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, which is updated every day with booking information.
• The NOPD's online police blotter, which shows current occurrences and arrests.
• Louisiana public-access terminals for local case data, located in the clerk and court offices.

While third-party websites might provide arrest photos, they frequently have paywalls for complete information or are delayed on official updates.

Criminal Background Check in Louisiana

The Louisiana State Police (LSP) Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information is principally responsible for conducting criminal background checks in New Orleans City. Individuals can request a name-based check by completing the Authorization Form (DPSSP 6696), providing a copy of a legitimate ID, and paying a $26 fee (check or money order). Requests can be made in person or by mail at:

LSP Headquarters – Criminal Records Unit
7919 Independence Blvd,
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Employers, government organizations, and some licensing authorities may ask for fingerprint-based checks for more comprehensive findings. These entail submitting a live scan at an approved fingerprinting location. State-only fees are usually $39.25, while state and FBI fees are $52.00.

The subject's signed authorization is required before the employer or landlord can begin a search. People can also get their own "rap sheet" (Computerized Criminal History) for expungement or personal assessment. Requests submitted online can be processed more quickly than those sent by mail, while processing timeframes vary.

New Orleans Inmate Search

Inmates serving sentences in New Orleans City are usually sent out of local custody after being sentenced to periods longer than a year. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DOC) oversees these persons. Interested persons may use the Louisiana DOC Offender Locator, which may be searched by name or DOC number, to find such prisoners. These long-term prisoners will not appear on local jail rosters after they are placed under state custody.

New Orleans Police Record Lookup

The Records and Identification Division of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) manages requests for police documents, such as CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) logs, arrest affidavits, and incident reports. Requests could include:

• Submitted electronically through the Public Records Request Portal of the NOPD,
• mailed to New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119, 715 S. Broad St., or
• submitted in person Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the same address.

Although turnaround times vary, they typically range from three to ten business days. Information from ongoing investigations, juvenile data, and victim identities are examples of common redactions. Pickup requires a valid photo ID; fees are under La. R.S. § 44:32.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record in New Orleans?

According to state archival regulations, arrest records in Louisiana are kept on file indefinitely unless they are erased by a court order under La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 et seq. State and FBI databases may still contain the information even after dismissal or acquittal. These posts are frequently replicated for years by commercial aggregators and mugshot sites.

How Can a Record Be Expunged for Free in New Orleans?

In New Orleans, qualifying arrests under La. C.Cr.P. Art. 976–985 can be expunged for free for qualified individuals. Included in eligibility are:

• Arrests that are not prosecuted (nolle prosequi or dismissed),
• exoneration,
• misdemeanors committed for the first time without a history of conviction, and
• adjudication completions that are delayed.

Petitions may be filed in propria persona and accompanied by a pauper's affidavit in the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, 2700 Tulane Ave., in order to avoid expenses, which may be up to $550.

The Orleans Public Defenders' Office offers free assistance via record-clearing intake days and legal aid clinics run by the Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services.

Once forms are filled out, it typically takes 60 to 120 days for the court to evaluate and rule on a petition once it is submitted. Agencies have an extra sixty days, if authorized, to keep the record hidden from the public. By asking the Louisiana State Police for a background check, petitioners can confirm that expungement has been completed. Processing court-ordered expungements that call for changing criminal history records falls under the purview of the Bureau.

New Orleans Warrant Search

In Orleans Parish, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office enforces arrest and bench warrants issued by local courts. One can verify the status by phoning the sheriff's warrant division, using the NOPD Warrant Search Unit, or using the Criminal District Court's web index. If a warrant is active, an in-person inquiry (accompanied by a valid photo ID) may result in an instant arrest.

Do Atlanta Warrants Expire?

Most felony and misdemeanor arrest warrants in New Orleans are valid for an extended period until they are served, revoked, or recalled. However, the statute of limitations may cause small municipal warrants to expire. If the suspect passes away, the prosecutor drops charges, or the issuing court recalls the warrant because of a mistake or resolution, the warrant may be revoked.