Tensas Parish Jail Mugshots
Tensas Parish jail mugshots are managed by the Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office under Sheriff Rickey A. Jones. The parish detention center in Waterproof handles all bookings for law enforcement in Tensas Parish. Each arrest produces a mugshot and a full booking record. Tensas Parish does not have a dedicated online inmate search, so the LAVNS portal and direct phone contact are the primary ways to look up jail mugshots and arrest records. You can reach the sheriff's office at (318) 766-3499 or the detention center at (318) 749-5810 for questions about current or past inmates.
Tensas Parish Quick Facts
Tensas Parish Sheriff and Jail Mugshots
Sheriff Rickey A. Jones runs the Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office from St. Joseph. The office is small, matching the size of the parish itself. Tensas is one of the least populated parishes in all of Louisiana, with just over 4,000 residents. That means booking volume is low compared to larger parishes. But every arrest still creates a full record that includes a jail mugshot. Jail mugshots are public records in Louisiana. The detention center logs every arrest regardless of size.
The Tensas Parish Detention Center is located at 8606 Highway 65 in Waterproof. Warden Patti Smith oversees the daily operations. The correctional facility handles all jail bookings for the parish regardless of which agency makes the arrest. The detention center has a separate phone line at (318) 749-5810 and a fax at (318) 749-5811. You can also reach the warden by email at psmith@tensasdc.org.
Each booking record includes the person's name, date of birth, physical description, address, charges, arresting officer and agency, bond information, booking number, and a mugshot. Louisiana's public records statute, La. R.S. 44:1, makes most of this information available to anyone who asks. La. R.S. 44:3 lists some exceptions, but standard adult booking records and jail mugshots are generally public. Arrest records include the mugshot and all charges.
| Sheriff's Office | PO Box 138, St. Joseph, LA 71366 Phone: (318) 766-3499 | Fax: (318) 766-3498 |
|---|---|
| Detention Center | 8606 Highway 65, Waterproof, LA 71375 Phone: (318) 749-5810 | Fax: (318) 749-5811 |
| Warden | Patti Smith | Email: psmith@tensasdc.org |
Note: Tensas Parish jail mugshots and booking records are managed at the detention center in Waterproof for all local arrests.
Searching Tensas Parish Jail Mugshots
Tensas Parish does not have its own website with an inmate search tool. This is common among smaller parishes in Louisiana. The main online option for finding Tensas Parish jail mugshots is the LAVNS inmate roster system. LAVNS, the Louisiana Victim Notification System, hosts inmate rosters for parishes across the state. The Tensas jail roster shows current inmates with their names, dates of birth, and booking dates.
LAVNS is free. The jail roster is free to view. You do not need an account. Just go to the site, select the first letter of the inmate's last name, and browse the results. The roster only shows inmates who are currently in custody. If an inmate has been released, they will not appear on the active jail roster.
The Tensas Parish LAVNS page lets you see who is in the detention center right now.
Because the parish is small, the jail roster may have very few names at any given time. If the inmate you are looking for is not listed, they may have already been released. Call the detention center at (318) 749-5810 or email the warden at psmith@tensasdc.org for help tracking down a specific arrest record. You can search the jail roster at any time. Booking photos and arrest details stay on file even after release.
A mugshot search on LAVNS is the quickest free option for Tensas Parish inmate lookups. The parish jail records staff can also assist by phone.
Note: Tensas Parish inmate search results on LAVNS only show current jail bookings and do not include people who have been released.
Requesting Tensas Parish Booking Records
For records not available through LAVNS, you can contact the sheriff's office or the detention center directly. Phone is the fastest option for a parish this size. Call the jail at (318) 749-5810 or the sheriff at (318) 766-3499. Staff can check the jail roster system and let you know if the booking record exists.
Written requests can be sent to the Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office at PO Box 138, St. Joseph, LA 71366. Include the person's full name, approximate arrest date, and date of birth if available. Under La. R.S. 44:1, custodians of public records must respond within a reasonable time frame. No special form is needed. A clear letter explaining what jail records you want is enough. Booking photos stay on file at the detention center. Each arrest creates a booking record with a mugshot that stays in the jail records system.
You can also visit in person. The sheriff's office is in St. Joseph, and the detention center is in Waterproof. Bring a photo ID. Given the small size of the operation, staff can usually help you quickly. La. R.S. 44:700 addresses the commercial use of mugshots in Louisiana. Accessing jail mugshots for personal, legal, or journalistic purposes is still allowed under the public arrest records framework.
Tensas Parish arrest records and jail mugshots stay on file at the detention center after an inmate is released. You can request these booking records at any time.
Note: Tensas Parish jail mugshots and arrest records for adults are public under Louisiana law, with limited exceptions for active investigations.
Tensas Parish Jail Mugshots and State Resources
If someone from Tensas Parish has been transferred to a state prison, you can search for them through the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Their offender lookup tool at doc.louisiana.gov covers inmates in state custody. This is separate from the parish-level roster.
VINELink at vinelink.com is another useful tool. It allows you to search for inmates across Louisiana and register for alerts when their jail status changes. The main LAVNS site at lavns.org connects to parish rosters statewide from one central page.
The IBC system through Louisiana State Police at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov offers background checks that can include arrest records from Tensas Parish. This is a paid service and provides more detail than a simple mugshot lookup.
Tensas Parish jail mugshots connected to state convictions may appear in these databases. An inmate search at the state level covers people who have left the parish detention center.
Visiting Tensas Parish Detention and Jail Records
The inmate roster updates with new bookings as they happen. The detention center at 8606 Highway 65 in Waterproof has set visitation hours. Call (318) 749-5810 to find out the current schedule. You will need a valid photo ID to visit. The inmate roster updates with each new booking. The facility is small, so rules may be straightforward compared to larger parish jails. Ask about mail policies, commissary deposits, and phone accounts when you call.
Sending mail to an inmate in Tensas Parish should be addressed to the person's full legal name at the Tensas Parish Detention Center, 8606 Highway 65, Waterproof, LA 71375. All mail is inspected. Do not include cash or items that could be considered contraband.
The Tensas Parish jail keeps all booking records and mugshots on file. Contact the detention center for any questions about jail records or inmate information.
Nearby Parishes
Tensas Parish shares borders with a handful of other parishes in northeast Louisiana. If the person you are looking for was arrested in a neighboring area, check that parish's records.