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Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff
Office Description

The Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office (OPCSO) was created by the Louisiana Constitution of 1921, Article 7, Section 89. The Criminal Sheriff is elected by qualified electors every four years. The Criminal Sheriff is in charge of the direction and supervision of all deputy criminal sheriffs who possess all of the powers and authority granted by law to the sheriff.

Among the powers of the Criminal Sheriff are the keeping of the jails, the preservation of the peace and the apprehension of disturbers of the peace and other public offenders. The Criminal Sheriff is the executive officer of the Criminal District Courts and has the authority to serve citations, summons, subpoenas, notices and process, and shall execute writs, mandates, orders, and judgments directed to him by the Criminal District Courts.

On July 28, 1989, the Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District (OPLED) was created by Act No. 20 of the 1989 Second Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature, which Act amended Chapter 26 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The Criminal Sheriff of the parish of Orleans is the Chief Ex-Officio Executive Officer of the District. The purpose of the District is to provide financing for Criminal Sheriff through the levying and collection of tax millages. The proceeds of these tax revenues may be used to fund the operations of Criminal Sheriff’s Office or fund the repayment of debt.

The Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office is a "primary government" as defined in GASB pronouncements since the Office is a government, created by State statute, that has a separately elected governing body, is legally separate, and is fiscally independent of other state or local governments.

The following are component units of OPCSO:

1. Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District

2. Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office Credit Union