Access Lake Charles Jail Roster
The Lake Charles jail roster tracks people arrested by the Lake Charles Police Department and held in Calcasieu Parish facilities. Lake Charles does not operate a city jail. "Lake Charles Police Department does not operate a separate city jail. All arrestees are transported to Calcasieu Parish facilities." When someone is picked up in Lake Charles, they go straight to the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center for booking. You can search the Lake Charles jail roster through the Calcasieu Parish LAVNS portal or by contacting the sheriff's office. This page covers the full process for finding inmates tied to Lake Charles arrests.
Lake Charles Quick Facts
Lake Charles Police and Jail Roster Booking
The Lake Charles Police Department handles law enforcement in the city. "Lake Charles Police Department, Chief Shawn Caldwell" leads the department. You can reach them at (337) 491-1456. Office hours run 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. When officers arrest someone, they transport the person to the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center for booking and detention. There is no city lock-up in Lake Charles.
The Lake Charles Police Department website has info about crime reporting, community programs, and department contacts. It does not host a jail roster. For inmate searches, you go through the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office instead.
Lake Charles is the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish. As the largest city in the area, most arrests in Calcasieu Parish come from Lake Charles. The police department and sheriff's office work together on booking and detention, but the jail is run entirely by the sheriff's office.
How to Search Lake Charles Jail Roster Records
The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office provides an online inmate roster through the Calcasieu Parish LAVNS portal. This tool lets you search for people held at the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center. You can look up inmates by name. The roster shows charges, bond status, and booking info. It is free and open to the public.
To search, type the last name of the person you want to find. Results pull from the current jail population. If someone was recently released, they may no longer show up. The LAVNS portal updates on a regular cycle. For older records, contact the sheriff's office directly or submit a public records request under LSA-R.S. 44:1.
The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office main website also has links to jail info, visitation schedules, and other resources. It is worth checking if you need more than just the inmate roster.
Note: The Calcasieu Parish inmate roster covers the entire parish, not just Lake Charles arrests.
Calcasieu Parish Jail Roster for Lake Charles
The Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center is at 5410 Broad Street in Lake Charles. You can call 337-491-3605 for general inmate questions. The facility holds people on city charges, parish charges, and state warrants. It also houses inmates for other agencies on a contract basis.
| Facility | Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center |
|---|---|
| Address | 5410 Broad Street, Lake Charles, LA 70615 |
| Phone | 337-491-3605 |
| Sheriff's Office | cpso.com |
| Inmate Roster | Online LAVNS Roster |
| LCPD Phone | (337) 491-1456 |
Bond gets set based on the charge. Judges can deny bond for serious offenses. Under LSA-R.S. 15:574.12, some offender records are confidential. But basic jail roster data like name, age, offense, and booking date is public. Anyone can look it up. The roster is not a finding of guilt; it shows who is in custody and why.
Lake Charles Jail Roster and LAVNS
LAVNS covers all 64 Louisiana parishes. The VINELink website lets you search across every parish jail at once. You can also call 1-866-528-6748 for phone-based lookups. If someone was arrested in Lake Charles, they show up in the Calcasieu Parish data within LAVNS.
You can register for custody alerts through LAVNS. If an inmate gets released or transferred, you get a call, text, or email. LSA-R.S. 15:1229 set up this system to help crime victims, but any person can use the search function. It is a good tool if you think someone may have been arrested in a neighboring parish instead of Calcasieu.
Getting Lake Charles Arrest Records
For records beyond the online roster, file a public records request. Police reports go through the Lake Charles Police Department at (337) 491-1456. Jail booking records go through the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office. Louisiana's Public Records Act under LSA-R.S. 44:1 requires a timely response. Include the person's name and arrest date in your request.
Copy fees may apply. If a request is denied, the agency must explain the reason. Most adult booking records are available without issue. Certified copies cost more and take extra time. For standard jail roster searches, the free online tools should give you what you need.
Note: Lake Charles police reports and Calcasieu Parish jail records are handled by separate offices.
Calcasieu Parish Jail Roster
Every Lake Charles arrest ends up in the Calcasieu Parish jail system. For full details on the parish jail, visitation rules, bond posting, and more, check our Calcasieu Parish page.