Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. How do I find out if someone is currently detained at La Porte County Jail?
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La Porte County Jail maintains an online inmate list where one can find the list of detainees. The list is updated usually fairly frequently. To check the inmate roster please visit La Porte County Jail Sheriff Department website. If that doesn't work, another good way to find someone is to call the LaPorte police department at 219-326-7700 ext 2361 and find out about the inmate directly.
Q. What if you are not able to find the inmate in La Porte County Jail?
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It means the inmate is transferred to nearby county jail or state prison facility or is released from jail. Check Indiana inmate search page for more details on how to search for an inmate in Indiana.
Q. What are the visitation rules of La Porte County Jail?
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Any individual with valid government ID and who isn’t on felony probation is allowed to visit an inmate. Children below 18 years, must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
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For more information one can call 219-326-7700 ext 2361.
La Porte County Jail Visitation Hours
| Sunday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Tuesday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Wednesday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Thursday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Friday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| Saturday |
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
Map & Directions for La Porte County Jail
More Information
The first LaPorte County Jail in Indiana was built in 1832. Sheriff Benjamin McCarty directed the efforts of building the log building. The second jail was built in 1842. A third jail made of brick was built in 1857. The fourth jail was built in 1907. It was made of Bedford stone. The current jail was built in 1977 for $8 million. In 2002, a five story addition was built. The current jail can hold 350 inmates.
The first murder in LaPorte County occurred in 1838. David Scott killed Joshua Copeland over a 600 dollar inheritance. Copeland and Scott worked together on a farm in LaPorte. Copeland found out about his father dying and went home to get his inheritance in Virginia. Scott traveled to Ohio to see family and came back with Copeland. A mile from the farm they worked on, Scott put a bullet in the back of Copeland's head. Scott left with the $600. The shot was heard and Scott was pursued. When the pursuers got to the town of LaPorte, they told Sheriff Sutton Van Pelt what happened. Eventually, Scott was tracked down. He was hanged for his crimes.
On September 21, 1980, LaPorte Sheriff's Department Patrolman Neil Thompson was getting ready to help in the pursuit of a suspect. He pulled off the road, but the suspect hit him with a stolen ambulance. The resulting crash killed Thompson. The man was convicted of manslaughter.
The serial killer Belle Gunness lived in LaPorte County. She had come from Norway in 1881. She married Mads Sorenson in 1884. He owned a store. Both the store and their home burned down and they collected on the insurance. On the day that both of Sorenson's life insurance policies were aligned, he died. His family tried to get an investigation. Belle then poisoned her two children. She married Peter Guness. Her stepdaughter was killed, then Peter died. She then killed her adopted daughter. She started advertising in a lovelorn column. These men would die for their cash. In 1908, her farm burned. In the rubble, the police thought they found her body. The bodies of her children were found in the house and 40 bodies were found buried on the property. Ray Lamphere, her farmhand, was charged for the arson. He later confessed all he knew about what she had been doing. He said the fire was set so she could disappear.
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