Louisiana State Police

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Louisiana State Police shoulder patch

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Louisiana State Police badge

The Louisiana State Police is the state police department of Louisiana, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state. It was created to protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of people in Louisiana. It falls under the authority of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. It is officially known in that organization as the Office of State Police. The badge worn by its troopers is very distinctive in that it is shaped like the map of the state of Louisiana. The Louisiana State Police is a premier law enforcement agency in Louisiana and has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) since 2003.

History

The Louisiana Sate Police has a long and proud history. The organization began in 1922 as the Louisiana Highway Commission with 16 Highway Inspectors covering approximately 2,700 miles of roadway. In 1928 the agency was known as the Law Enforcement Division of the Highway Commission, and employed 70 uniformed officers. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation was also formed about that time. In 1932 the State Highway Patrol was given the authority to carry firearms. In 1936, the two divisions of law enforcement were combined to form the Louisiana Department of State Police. In 1942 the Louisiana Legislature abolished the Department of State Police and made it a division of the newly created Department of Public Safety. The State Police accepted new responsibilities in 1946 when the Drivers License Law was enacted requiring every driver to hold a license for operating a motor vehicle. Prior to this time, only the operators of commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses were required to be licensed in Louisiana. The agency continued to make advancements with the current number of troopers employed by the department listed as 1,022.

Patrol Areas

The department is divided up into nine troops, with its headquarters in Baton Rouge. The troops are divided as follows:

• Troop A (Baton Rouge): covers the following 9 parishes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, St. James (east bank ), Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana
• Troop B (Kenner): covers 6 parishes: Orleans, St. Charles, St.John (east bank), Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson
• Troop C (Houma): covers the 5 parishes of Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, Terrebonne, and the west bank of St. James
• Troop D (Lake Charles): covers the parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jefferson Davis
• Troop E (Alexandria): covers the parishes of Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, Vernon and Winn
• Troop F (Monroe): Covers the Parishes of Union, West Carroll, East Carroll, Morehouse, Lincoln, Ouachita, Richland, Madison, Jackson, Caldwell, Tensas, and Franklin.
• Troop G (Shreveport): Covers the Parishes of Caddo, Bossier, De Soto, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, and Red River.
• Troop I (Lafayette): Covers Parishes of Evangeline, St. Landry, Acadia, Lafayette, St. Martin, Vermilion, Iberia, and St. Mary.
• Troop L (Covington): covers the parishes of St.Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington

Disbanded Troops

The following troops were disbanded in the late 1980's due to budget considerations:

• Troop H (Leesville)
• Troop K (Opelousas)

Rank Structure

The Louisiana State Police rank structure is as listed:

Rank	Insignia
Colonel		One individual is appointed (by the Governor) as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Superintendent of the State Police and holds the rank of Colonel. The Colonel wears one silver colored eagle on each side of the collar.
Lieutenant Colonel		There are four officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, each overseeing one of the four bureaus within the State Police. Lieutenant Colonels wear a silver colored oak leaf on each epaulet.
Major		Majors are responsible for a command within the State Police. Majors wear one gold colored oak leaf on each epaulet.
Captain		The specific responsibilities of a Captain vary depending upon where they are assigned within the Agency. For example, a Captain may be a Troop Commander in the Patrol Bureau or a Division Commander in one of the other Bureaus. Captains wear two gold colored bars on each epaulet.
Lieutenant		The responsibilities of a lieutenant vary within the departmant. At the Troop level, a lieutenant is typically the commander of a shift. Other Lieutenants in other divisions may command a unit. Lieutenants wear gold colored metal bars on each epaulet.
Sergeant		Sergeants act as assistant shift commanders or duty officers. Sergeants wear three yellow inverted chevrons on each sleeve under the State Police patch.
Master Trooper		The insignia for this rank consists of a gold colored 'MT' collar pin worn on the wearer's right lapel. Troopers who complete fifteen (15) years of satisfactory or exceptional service are promoted to the rank of Master Trooper.
Senior Trooper		The insignia for this rank consists of a gold colored 'ST' collar pin worn on the wearer's right lapel. Troopers who complete ten (10) years of satisfactory or exceptional service are promoted to the rank of Senior Trooper.
Trooper First Class		The insignia for this rank consists of a gold colored 'TFC' collar pin worn on the wearer's right lapel. Troopers who complete five (5) years of satisfactory or exceptional service are promoted to the rank of Trooper First Class.
Trooper		The insignia for this rank consists of a gold colored 'TPR' collar pin worn on the wearer's right lapel. This rank is attained by Cadets upon successful completion of the training academy.
Cadet		A Cadet is a raw recruit, and is the rank held by all personnel while assigned as a student at the training academy.

Duty Weapons

The current standard issue firearm for LSP Troopers is the Sig Sauer Model P-220 Semi-Automatic pistol in .45 ACP. Other optional handguns are also authorized for carry on-duty. Each LSP Trooper is also issued a Remington 870 Police 12 gauge shotgun. Some police cars are also equipped with a Colt AR-15 A2 in .223.

Patrol Cars

Louisiana State Police Crown Victoria

The current Louisiana State Police patrol vehicle is the Ford Crown Victoria "Police Interceptor." This vehicle has been the main patrol vehicle used by the agency since 1997, when it replaced the Chevrolet Caprice. The vehicle's markings include "State Trooper" written on each front quarter panel, a state badge on the center of each front door, the words "Louisiana State Police" written above and below the door badge, the words "State Police" written on the trunk, and a CALEA decal on the left rear quarter panel. Other 'marked' patrol vehicles used include Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Chevrolet Impala, the Chevrolet Camaro, and the Dodge Durango. Police vehicles currently being tested and considered for use include the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Dodge Charger.

Special units

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Louisiana State Police Commando V100 ERV

Like many other state police agencies around the United States, the Louisiana State Police has several sub-divisions specializing in addressing particular crimes or security needs. These include a Bomb Squad, an Aviation Support Unit, a Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team, an Executive Protection detail (for the Louisiana Governor, Lt. Governor, and other dignitaries), a Motor Carrier Safety Enforcement (MCSAP) section, and a Hazardous Materials Response Unit. There is also a section called the Anti-Terrorist Assistance Program (ATAP) which is a joint venture with the U.S. State Department. This ATAP section trains foreign police and military forces in the detecting, preventing, and fighting of terrorism. The Bureau of Investigation includes the State Police Crime Laboratory, a Statewide Narcotics Task Force, an Auto Theft Recovery unit, the Casino Gaming & Licensing section, a Criminal Intelligence unit, Identity Theft Investigations, and an Insurance Fraud Investigations section. The agency has also recently established a cyber crimes section which specializes in online and computer crimes.

Fallen Officers

Since its formation in 1922, 24 LSP troopers have been killed in the line of duty. The most common cause of line of duty deaths to date is Automobile Crashes

Officer Neill A. Yarborough, Sr. Jan. 25, 1925 Patrolman Frank David, Sr. Oct. 9, 1933 Patrolman Victor A. Mossy May 13, 1936 Trooper John D. Williams Mar. 14, 1942 Trooper Benton Finlay Apr. 19, 1942 Trooper James T. Brownfield May 9, 1943 Trooper Ulis Floyd Feb. 24, 1952 Trooper Wilmer L. Moody Nov. 10, 1956 Trooper James N. Pollard Nov. 20, 1956 Sergeant Eli L. Smith Jan. 17, 1957 Trooper Francis C. Zinna Mar. 24, 1958 Trooper Rudolph H. Miller Sep. 8, 1962

Lieutenant Joseph D. Ferris Feb. 23, 1968 Trooper Huey P. Grace Oct. 30, 1968 Sergeant Lamon Weaver Apr. 17, 1973 Trooper William C. Warrington Jul. 19, 1973 Sergeant Clarence J. Miller Dec. 4, 1975 Trooper Donald C. Cleveland Jul. 2, 1977 Trooper Jean-Claude Crescionne Apr. 20, 1982 Trooper Damon L. Robichaux Jul. 1, 1982 Trooper William "Mike" Kees Feb. 5, 1983 Master Trooper Stephen H. Gray May 29, 1995 Sergeant George "Doug" Johnston Nov. 17, 1997 Trooper Hung N. Le June 30, 1998

See also

Louisiana State Police Website

Louisiana State Troopers Association

• List of law enforcement agencies in Louisiana