The FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program reported that Louisiana saw about 25,537 incidents of violent crime in 2019 – that’s up about 1% from the previous year. Also, the state experienced nearly 147,000 incidents of property crime in 2019.
Law enforcement officers certainly have their work cut out for them here, but it’s a place that the people who grew up here love enough to fight for. Anybody with that kind of commitment to keeping up the fight will find careers in law enforcement available at the state, parish, and city levels provide no shortage of opportunities to make communities throughout Louisiana safer for all law abiding residents.
Jobs with the Louisiana State Police
The Louisiana State Police has a trooper force of 1,022, all of whom are responsible for all elements of criminal and highway safety patrol throughout the state.
In addition to a patrol unit, the Louisiana State Police is home to a number of specialized divisions, including internal affairs, protective services, public affairs, deputy secretary, and bureau of investigation, and troopers and special officers of the LSP do everything from investigate insurance fraud to lead gaming enforcement protocols.
All prospective troopers and agents must fulfill a prerequisite that includes a college education, previous law enforcement or military experience, government employment, or some combination of these four.
Parish Sheriff’s Departments in Louisiana
With parish-wide jurisdictions overlapping the municipal jurisdictions of city PDs, sheriff’s deputies often work in tandem with local police, and always uphold the law of the land outside of city limits in unincorporated areas and rural enclaves. Becoming a sheriff’s deputy in one of Louisiana’s many parishes always involves a number of evaluations, drug screening, physical, medical, written, and polygraph testing before being considered for the job and beginning a comprehensive training program.
Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office
Deputies with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol the entire New Orleans parish, serve subpoenas, provide courtroom security, and oversee the 2,100 or so inmates housed in the New Orleans Parish jail on any given day. The agency has even come up with a unique way to meet the challenge of maintaining law and order during the annual Mardi Gras celebration: the booking bus. Also known as an intake and processing compound, people arrested for minor violations will be taken aboard the bus, fingerprinted, photographed, and booked on-site.
Deputy applicants with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Departmentmust pass a written, polygraph, drug, and physical test in addition to participating in a personal interview before being offered a position and beginning their training.
East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office
The Criminal Operations Division of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office includes uniformed patrol officers who are responsible for the safety and well-being of East Baton Rouge residents.
Candidates for deputy positions must have a college education, past work experience as a certified peace officer, previous military service, or a combination of these.
Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office includes a patrol division that is responsible for providing first line law enforcement services to keep the citizens of the parish safe. Deputies are primarily responsible for serving the unincorporated areas of the 900+ square mile parish.
Employment requirements for sheriff’s deputy candidates include passing reading comprehension, psychological, and medical exams.
Jobs with Municipal Police Departments in Louisiana
A variety of exciting opportunities, from patrol to community engagement to investigations, is available to Louisiana police officers who serve at the municipal level for the many PDs located throughout the state.
New Orleans Police Department
The New Orleans Police Department is divided into the bureaus of investigation and support, field operations, management services, and public integrity serves, serving eight districts throughout the greater New Orleans area.
Police officer candidates for the New Orleans Police Department must have either sixty college credits or two years of full-time military service.
Baton Rouge Police Department
The Baton Rouge Police Department is committed to their mission of Community Oriented Policing, which is designed to engage neighborhood and community organizations in collaborative problem-solving partnerships. Candidates must complete a multi-step process that involves passing a civil service exam, physical assessment, oral interview, background investigation and a series of professional exams before going on to the training academy.
Shreveport Police Department
The police officers of the Shreveport Police Department are responsible for patrolling the city’s 13 districts. Their duties include everything from criminal investigations to traffic enforcement. Applicants must pass the civil service exam, physical fitness test, sit before the applicant interview board, pass a background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological and medical evaluation before beginning training.
Lafayette Police Department
The Lafayette Police Department is organized into the divisions of criminal investigations, public affairs, patrol support and a SWAT Team that specializes in hostage negotiations and stand-off situations. To join the Lafayette Police Department, potential candidates must pass medical, psychological, physical fitness, and polygraph examinations.
Lake Charles Police Department
The Lake Charles Police Department is responsible for patrolling the city’s 40 square miles and providing services to its 75,000 residents. Candidates must pass a civil service exam, physical agility test, background investigation, oral board interview, polygraph and professional examinations before getting started at the training academy
Louisiana Law Enforcement Salaries
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), law enforcement officers in Louisiana earned an average salary of $44,790 as of May 2021.
A post-secondary education is often a valued addition to a police officer’s resume in Louisiana, with many departments offering attractive educational salary incentives.
The following police/sheriff’s department salary data was sourced from May 2021 BLS stats (early career = 25th percentile, senior/late career = 90th percentile).
Police Officer Salaries
Baton Rouge Police Department
Upon the successful completion of academy training, the police officers of the Baton Rouge Police Department earn a starting salary of about $40,100.
Lafayette Police Department
Police officer recruits with the Lafayette Police Department earn a starting salary of about $31,540.
Lake Charles Police Department
The starting salary for police officers with the Lake Charles Police Department is about $29,420. Most officers receive additional monthly supplemental pay, and those with bachelor’s degrees receive an additional monthly stipend.
New Orleans Police Department
Police officer recruits with the New Orleans Police Department earn a starting salary of about $38,180.
Salaries for police officers here can climb even higher, thanks to a variety of incentives for education and special assignment pay for positions like field training officer, K-9 handler, diver, and bomb squad officer.
Shreveport Police Department
Police officer recruits with the Shreveport Police Department earn a salary of about $38,120 early in their career. Those with college degrees also earn an additional monthly stipend depending on their level of education.
Sheriff’s Deputy Salaries
Thanks to $6,000 annual state supplements for POST-certified sheriff’s deputies in Louisiana, starting salaries here are in line with other law enforcement officers throughout the state. (The following salaries include the $6,000 state supplement.)
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office
Deputy recruits with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office earn a salary of about $29,420. Upon graduation, recruits are promoted to the role of Deputy I, which comes with a higher annual salary. Promotions to Deputy II, Deputy III, and Deputy IV come with additional salary increases.
Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office
The starting salary for deputy sheriffs with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office is about $38,180.
State Trooper and State Police Salaries
State trooper cadets with the Louisiana State Police begin their careers earning about $44,790. A 22-step salary schedule shows a top salary of $61,380 for these law enforcement professionals. Of course, higher ranking state trooper positions come with larger paychecks.
2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for police and sheriff’s patrol officers. Job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures are based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2022.