St. Bernard Parish Arrest Records

St. Bernard Parish arrest records are official recordings of arrests that occurred within the parish. Such records may include an arrestee’s personal data, arrest charges, and booking date.

The parish’s law enforcement agencies are responsible for creating arrest records after an arrest event. Arrest events occur when peace officers apprehend suspected offenders. Officers may arrest individuals when there’s evidence that they committed a crime. There are also instances when officers conduct arrests to prevent potential crimes. Arrestees are temporarily detained in the parish jail pending the outcome of further investigations.

In St. Bernard Parish, arrest information is often included in related public records. For example, citizens can find arrest information like criminal charges and bond amounts in St. Bernard Parish court records. Inmate records and rap sheets also contain arrest data.

Are Arrest Records Public in St. Bernard Parish?

St. Bernard Parish arrest records are publicly accessible unless they contain information that is exempt under state laws. The LSL RS 44.1 is a state law that governs public access to records generated by government entities. Under the law, the public can inspect or obtain physical copies of public records from designated entities. The law also requires these entities to release public records to requesters.

Not all St. Bernard Parish arrest records are classified as public files. Non-public arrest records typically contain information that, if disclosed, will violate the privacy or safety of concerned parties. Examples of non-public arrest records include:

• Information on investigative or security procedures used in terrorist-related activities
• Information about pending criminal litigations
• Identity of confidential sources in a criminal investigation.

St. Bernard Parish Arrest Statistics

There are no statistics reports for arrest events in St. Bernard Parish. However, the Louisiana Statistical Analytics Center provides a state-level report on arrest events. According to the agency report, the state’s law enforcement agencies conducted 99 206 arrests in 2022.

The agency also maintains an incarceration report for all the state’s correctional facilities. According to the report, St. Bernard Parish jail admitted and released 127 and 96 inmates, respectively.

Find St. Bernard Parish Arrest Records

Interested parties can find St. Bernard Parish arrest records at the parish sheriff’s office. The parish sheriff processes inquiries for incident reports during business hours at this address:

2 Courthouse Square
Chalmette, Louisiana 70043
Phone: (504) 271-2504

Note: The request must include relevant search information like the arrestee’s name and incident date.

Inmate records offer an alternative option for finding arrest information in St. Bernard Parish. To obtain inmate records, inquirers must use online repositories maintained by government entities.

For example, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections offers online access to inmate records. The agency partnered with a third-party agency to provide a searchable portal for finding current inmates and parolees. To use the portal, inquirers must provide relevant search information like the inmate name or prison number.

Interested parties may use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator to find inmate records. The platform provides information on inmates that are held in federal correctional institutions. To view records on the search platform, users must provide the inmate name or prison identification number.

St. Bernard Parish Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

St. Bernard Parish arrest records are different from criminal records in the following ways:

They contain different data

Arrest records only provide information on data created during and after an arrest event. Such records may include the arrestee’s name, criminal charges, arrest date and location, and bond amount. In contrast, criminal records contain an individual’s criminal history. Citizens may find information on arrest events, court activities, and incarceration duration.

The records are under the purview of different agencies.

Local law enforcement agencies are the designated record custodians of arrest records. The agencies also disclose the records to interested parties. However, the Louisiana State Police oversees the creation and maintenance of criminal records. The agency creates criminal records by gathering information from arresting agencies, courts, and correctional facilities.

The records have different social implications.

Arrest records do not reveal criminal history and may not lead to negative consequences like discrimination. However, criminal records may lead to discrimination in certain industries. For example, persons convicted of fraud-related crimes are often ineligible for financial institutions.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In St. Bernard Parish, arrests will remain permanently on public records unless they are sealed or expunged. To seal or expunge arrest records, arrestees must send the appropriate request form to the parish clerk of courts. Note that not all arrest records can be expunged.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in St. Bernard Parish?

Per LSL CCRP 978, you are eligible to expunge arrest records if:

• You have no pending criminal charge, and it has been more than ten years since you completed a sentence for a felony conviction.
• The prosecution or conviction was dismissed pursuant to Article 893(E)
• You are entitled to a first-offender pardon for an offense listed under Article IV, Section 5(E)(1).

St. Bernard Parish Arrest Warrants

St. Bernard Parish arrest warrants authorize the arrest of persons named in the document. The parish’s court magistrate issues arrest warrants after receiving an affidavit from an arresting officer. The affidavit must contain sufficient proof that the defendant violated state or federal statutes.

Arrest warrants issued in St. Bernard Parish must contain the following information:

• The defendant’s name, known aliases, addresses, and identifying features like tattoos, age, sex, and ethnicity.
• Arrest charges
• Arrest warrant issuance date and location.
• A statement that the defendant must be arrested and booked.
• Court magistrate signature and official position.

Do St. Bernard Parish Arrest Warrants Expire?

In St. Bernard Parish, arrest warrants do not expire. However, they remain active until the defendant is arrested or nullified by the court. Note that the statute of limitation does not affect the validity of an arrest warrant. Interested parties can lookup active arrest warrants through the parish sheriff’s office or by visiting the court that issued them.