Tensas Parish Jail Roster Lookup
The Tensas Parish jail roster lists all people held at the Tensas Parish Detention Center. Sheriff Rickey A. Jones runs the jail and makes inmate data available to the public through an online portal. You can search for current inmates by name at no charge. The roster shows bookings, charges, and custody status for each person. If you need to find someone arrested in Tensas Parish, the LAVNS portal is the main tool for checking the jail roster. Updates happen on a regular basis so the data stays current around the clock.
Tensas Parish Jail Quick Facts
Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office
The Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office manages the detention center and keeps the jail roster current. "Rickey A. Jones, Sheriff Phone: (318) 766-3499 Fax: (318) 766-3498 P.O. Box 138 St. Joseph, LA 71366." Sheriff Jones leads the office. Staff handle bookings, releases, and all jail operations in Tensas Parish.
The sheriff's office sits at 203 Hancock Street in St. Joseph. "Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office and Jail 203 Hancock Street, St. Joseph, LA 71366 Office Phone: (318) 766-3961." For questions about the jail or an inmate, you can call the office or the detention center directly. The detention center is at a different location from the main office. "Tensas Parish Detention Center Phone: (318) 749-5810 Fax: (318) 749-5811 8606 Highway 65 Waterproof, LA 71375." Keep that in mind if you plan to visit.
| Agency | Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Sheriff Office | 203 Hancock Street, St. Joseph, LA 71366 |
| Office Phone | (318) 766-3499 |
| Detention Center | 8606 Highway 65, Waterproof, LA 71375 |
| Jail Phone | (318) 749-5810 |
Search the Tensas Parish Jail Roster
The primary way to search the Tensas Parish jail roster is through the LAVNS portal. Visit tensas.lavns.org to see who is in the detention center right now. "Tensas Parish provides an online roster where the public can search for current inmates through the official portal." The site lets you search by name and view charges, booking dates, and custody status for each person on the roster.
The following screenshot shows the Tensas Parish inmate roster as it appears on the LAVNS portal.
Each listing shows the inmate's name and current charges. You can click on any entry for more detail. "Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office Jail Roster. Click to register anonymously to be notified upon any changes in this offender's custody status." That alert feature is free to set up. It sends you a notice when the inmate's status changes in Tensas Parish.
You can also use VINELink to search for inmates. VINELink is the national version of the system. Both tools pull from the same data source. Under LSA-R.S. 44:1, jail rosters in Louisiana are public records. Anyone can view them without giving a reason.
Note: Allow a few hours after an arrest for the inmate to appear on the Tensas Parish roster.
How Booking Works in Tensas Parish
When someone gets arrested in Tensas Parish, they are taken to the detention center on Highway 65 in Waterproof. Booking starts right away. Staff take photos, fingerprints, and personal details. Charges get logged and a bond amount is set if one applies. All of this feeds into the system and appears on the Tensas Parish jail roster.
The booking process can take a few hours. There may be a gap before a new arrest shows up on the online roster. If you are trying to find someone who was just picked up, wait a bit and check again. You can also call the detention center at (318) 749-5810 to ask if a person has been booked. Tensas Parish is a smaller parish, so the jail holds fewer inmates than larger facilities. That can mean quicker processing in some cases.
Tensas Parish Inmate Data
The jail roster shows a snapshot of who is in the Tensas Parish Detention Center at any given time. Each entry lists the inmate's name, charges, and booking details. Bond amounts and court dates may appear once a judge sets them. The roster is not a permanent arrest record. Once someone is released, they may drop off the active roster.
If you need official copies of arrest records or booking documents from Tensas Parish, you may need to file a public records request with the sheriff's office. LSA-R.S. 15:574.12 covers victim notification and inmate tracking in Louisiana. This is the law that supports the LAVNS system. LSA-R.S. 15:1229 deals with how criminal justice data flows from local jails to statewide portals.
Note: Juvenile records do not appear on the Tensas Parish jail roster under LSA-R.S. 14:405.
Contact Tensas Parish Detention Center
The Tensas Parish Detention Center is at 8606 Highway 65 in Waterproof. Call (318) 749-5810 for questions about inmates, visiting, or bonds. The sheriff's office in St. Joseph can be reached at (318) 766-3499. For legal questions, talk to an attorney or contact the court. The sheriff's office handles jail operations but does not give legal advice.
If you want to visit an inmate, call first. Visiting hours and rules can change. You will need a valid ID. Items like phones, bags, and weapons are not allowed inside the facility. Keep in mind that the detention center in Waterproof is not at the same address as the sheriff's office in St. Joseph. Make sure you go to the right location if you plan to visit someone at the Tensas Parish jail.
Cities in Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish includes St. Joseph, which is the parish seat, as well as Waterproof, Newellton, and a few smaller communities. All arrests within the parish go to the Tensas Parish Detention Center. There are no city jails. If someone gets arrested in St. Joseph or Waterproof, they end up on the Tensas Parish jail roster.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes border Tensas Parish. Each one runs its own jail and keeps a separate roster. Check the booking location if you are not sure where someone was arrested.