Your Shreveport Car Accident Report: SPD, Caddo or Troop G?
After Shreveport car accidents, one of the first things an insurance adjuster asks for is the crash report. It’s also one of the first documents people struggle to find. The reason is simple: depending on where the wreck happened, the report may be held by the Shreveport Police Department, the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office or Louisiana State Police Troop G, and each agency has its own process.
Getting the right report quickly matters. It records who was involved, insurance details, witness names and the officer’s notes about how the crash happened. Errors in it can follow your claim for months.
This guide explains how to figure out which agency has your report, what to have ready when you request it, how to read it, what to do if something is wrong and why it carries so much weight in an injury claim.
Which Agency Has Your Crash Report?
Short answer: The agency that responded to the crash keeps the report. Look at the paperwork or card the officer gave you at the scene. It usually lists the agency name and a report or item number.
If you don’t have that paperwork, the crash location is the best clue:
| Where the crash happened | Agency that usually responds |
|---|---|
| City streets inside Shreveport city limits, such as Youree Drive, Line Avenue or Kings Highway | Shreveport Police Department |
| Unincorporated areas of Caddo Parish outside city limits | Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office |
| Interstates and state highways, including I-20, I-49 and I-220, and rural highways in northwest Louisiana | Often Louisiana State Police Troop G |
| Bossier City streets | Bossier City Police Department (not covered here) |
These are general patterns, not fixed rules. A crash on an interstate inside city limits might be worked by Shreveport police, and agencies sometimes assist each other. When in doubt, call the non-emergency line of the agency you think responded and give the date, time and location. They can tell you whether they have a report.
Why It Matters Which Agency Wrote It
Each agency has its own records office, request process, fees and processing time. Requesting from the wrong one wastes days, and insurers commonly ask for a copy before they evaluate a claim.
How to Request Your Report
What to Have Ready
Whichever agency has the report, the request goes faster with:
- The report or item number from the officer’s card or paperwork
- The date, time and location of the crash
- The names of the drivers involved
- A photo ID, if you request in person
- Your connection to the crash, such as driver, passenger, vehicle owner, or the attorney or insurer for one of them
Crash reports usually aren’t ready on the day of the wreck. The officer has to finish and submit the report, and a supervisor may review it first. Expect a wait of several business days, sometimes longer for serious or fatal crashes that need more investigation.
Shreveport Police Department
For crashes worked by Shreveport police, requests go through the department’s records section. Check the City of Shreveport’s website or call the department’s non-emergency number for the current request method, office hours, accepted payment types and fee before you go.
Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office
For crashes in unincorporated Caddo Parish, contact the Sheriff’s Office records division. Have your report number ready, and confirm whether the request can be made by mail, online or only in person.
Louisiana State Police Troop G
Troop G, based in Bossier City, covers state highways and interstates across northwest Louisiana, including the Shreveport area. Louisiana State Police crash reports can be requested through the LSP website or from the troop. Because state police handle a large share of interstate crashes, this is often the right place to look after a wreck on I-20, I-49 or I-220.
Let Someone Else Request It
Your insurer, or a lawyer representing you, can usually request the report on your behalf. If you’ve already hired an attorney, ask before ordering a copy yourself to avoid paying twice.
How to Read Your Crash Report
Louisiana crash reports use codes and boxes that can be hard to follow at first. Check these sections carefully:
- Driver and vehicle details: names, addresses, license and plate numbers and vehicle descriptions
- Insurance information: the other driver’s insurer and policy number, which you’ll need to open a claim
- Crash diagram: a sketch of the vehicles’ positions and direction of travel
- Narrative: the officer’s written summary of what happened, often including each driver’s statement
- Contributing factors and citations: codes for things like speeding, following too closely or failure to yield, and any tickets issued
- Witnesses: names and contact information of people who saw the crash
- Injuries: whether anyone was reported hurt or transported
A citation or contributing factor listed for the other driver can support your claim, but it isn’t the final word on fault. Insurers and courts look at all the evidence.
What If the Report Is Wrong?
Mistakes happen. A plate number is transposed, a witness is missing or the narrative doesn’t match what you remember.
Factual errors, such as a wrong name, insurance policy or vehicle description, can often be corrected. Contact the agency that wrote the report, explain the error and provide documentation such as an insurance card or registration.
Disagreements about what happened are harder to change. An officer is unlikely to rewrite the narrative or change a fault determination simply because a driver disagrees. You may be able to submit a written statement to be added to the file. Either way, the stronger approach is to gather your own evidence: photos, video, witness contacts and medical records.
Why the Crash Report Matters for Your Claim
Short answer: The report is often the first neutral account of the crash that an insurer sees. It shapes early fault decisions, points to witnesses and gives the insurance details needed to open a claim.
Fault Now Matters More in Louisiana
For crashes on or after January 1, 2026, Louisiana’s amended comparative fault law bars recovery if an injured person is found 51% or more at fault (Louisiana Civil Code article 2323). Below that line, recovery is reduced by your share of fault. Because a crash report’s narrative and contributing-factor codes often influence an adjuster’s first fault estimate, errors in the report carry more weight than they used to.
Watch the Filing Deadline
For most injuries from crashes on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana allows two years to file a lawsuit (Civil Code article 3493.1). Getting the report early helps you identify every responsible party well before that deadline.
The Report Is a Starting Point
A crash report is important, but it doesn’t settle a claim on its own. Officers usually arrive after the crash and rely on statements and visible evidence. Video, vehicle data, witness interviews and medical records often fill in what the report leaves out. That’s even more true in crashes involving commercial trucks, where logbooks, maintenance records and company policies may matter as much as the police report. In a fatal crash, the report also becomes an early record for any wrongful death claim the family may bring.
When to Get Help
If the report blames you unfairly, leaves out key witnesses or the insurer is relying on it to deny your claim, a lawyer can investigate further and request records you may not be able to get on your own. Collins Law, led by attorney Stephen T. Collins, handles Shreveport car accident claims for injured people across Shreveport, Bossier City and northwest Louisiana, on a contingency fee basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a crash report in Shreveport?
Usually several business days after the crash, and sometimes longer for serious crashes still under investigation. Calling the agency with your report number is the fastest way to check whether it’s ready.
I don’t have a report number. Can I still get my report?
Yes. Most agencies can search by date, location and driver name. Having the exact location and time speeds things up.
Who can request a Louisiana crash report?
People involved in the crash, such as drivers, passengers and vehicle owners, along with their insurers and attorneys, can generally request a copy. Check with the agency about any additional rules.
Do I need a crash report to file an insurance claim?
Not always, but insurers commonly ask for one, and it contains details like the other driver’s insurance information that help open a claim.
What if no officer came to the scene?
If police didn’t respond, there may be no report. Exchange information with the other driver, take photos and notify your insurer promptly. You may also be able to file a report with the agency for that area afterward.
Getting Your Report, and What Comes Next
Finding your crash report starts with knowing who wrote it: Shreveport police for most city streets, the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office for unincorporated areas, and often Louisiana State Police Troop G for interstates and state highways. Have your report number, crash details and ID ready, expect a short wait and read the finished report carefully. Fix factual errors quickly, and back up the report with your own evidence. That matters more now that Louisiana’s 51% fault rule applies to newer crashes.
