Louisiana State Police
| Louisiana State Police | |
| Abbreviation | LSP |
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| Patch of the Louisiana State Police. | |
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| Badge of the Louisiana State Police. | |
| Motto | Courtesy, Loyalty, Service |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1922 |
| Preceding agency | Louisiana Highway Commission |
| Employees | 1,548 (as of 2004)[1] |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | State of Louisiana, USA |
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| LSP Troop Map | |
| Size | 51,885 square miles (134,380 km2) |
| Population | 4,468,976 |
| Legal jurisdiction | Louisiana |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Troopers | 1,063 (as of 2004)[1] 1,215 (as of 2008)[2] |
| Civilians | 485 (as of 2004)[1] |
| Agency executive | Colonel Mike Edmonson, Superintendent |
| Parent agency | Louisiana Department of Public Safety |
| Facilities | |
| Troops | 9 Troops |
| Website | |
| http://www.lsp.org | |
| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
The Louisiana State Police is the state police department of Louisiana, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state, headquartered in Baton Rouge.[3] 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 state of Louisiana. The Louisiana State Police is a premier law enforcement agency in Louisiana and was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) from 2003 to 2008.[4] The agency voluntarily ceased its association with CALEA in 2008.
Contents |
[edit] History
The organization began in 1922 as the Louisiana Highway Commission with 16 Highway Inspectors covering approximately 2,700 miles (4,300 km) 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 state's 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.[5]
[edit] Patrol areas
The department is divided 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, Terrebonne, and the west banks of St. James and St. John
- Troop D (Lake Charles): covers the 5 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 (Bossier City): 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
[edit] Disbanded troops
The following troops are no longer in existence:
- Troop H (Leesville) comprised Sabine and Vernon Parishes. It was disbanded in 1988 due to budget considerations.
- Troop K (Opelousas) included Avoyelles, Evangeline, Pointe Coupee, and St. Landry Parishes. It was disbanded in 1988 due to budget considerations)
- Troop M (Des Allemands) closed in 1973 when merged into the current Troop C. It comprised Lafourche, Terrebonne, Assumption, the West banks of St. Charles, St. John, and St. James Parishes.[6]
- Troop N (Crowley) included Acadia and Vermilion parishes. Disbanded in 1969.
- Although never officially classified as a Troop, Troop N was reopened in New Orleans as headquarters for post-Hurricane Katrina operations until April 2006.
- Troop O (Delhi) comprised Franklin, Richland, Tensas, Madison, East and West Carroll Parishes. Disbanded in 1969.
[edit] Rank structure
The Louisiana State Police rank structure is as listed:
| Rank | Insignia | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Colonel |
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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 epaulet.[7] |
| Lieutenant Colonel |
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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 |
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Majors are responsible for a command within the State Police. Majors wear one gold colored oak leaf on each epaulet. |
| Captain |
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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 |
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The responsibilities of a lieutenant vary within the department. 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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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A Cadet is a raw recruit, and is the rank held by all personnel while assigned as a student at the training academy. These personnel do not wear rank insignia. |
[edit] Weapons
The current standard issue firearm for LSP Troopers is the Glock 22 in caliber .40 S&W. Previously, the standard issue sidearm was the SIG Sauer P220 semi-automatic pistol in caliber .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, a Ruger Mini-14 in .223, or an H&K MP-5 in 9mm. The troopers in this agency have been issued batons and pepper spray for quite some time. Tasers have also been introduced, and have been in servive since about 2005.
[edit] Patrol cars
The current main 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, and the words "State Police" written on the trunk. An "ACE" insignia, consisting of a blue State of Louisiana with a red lighting bolt, is awarded to troopers who recover five or more stolen vehicles within a year. Since approximately 2001, a majority of the marked patrol vehicles utilized by this agency have been equipped with onboard video cameras. Other 'marked' patrol vehicles currently used include Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Chevrolet Impala, the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Tahoe and the Dodge Durango. Several other unmarked vehicles in various makes and models are also used for various non-patrol purposes. Police vehicles currently being tested and considered for use include the Dodge Charger. In August 2010, nearly all marked Chevrolet Impala vehicles in inventory were taken out of service, with only a few still in service.
[edit] Special units
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 Air 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.
The Criminal Investigations Division includes a Statewide Narcotics Task Force, a Concealed Handgun Permit section, an Auto Theft Recovery unit, the Casino Gaming & Licensing section, a Criminal Intelligence unit, Identity Theft Investigations, an Insurance Fraud Investigations section, and a cyber crimes section which specializes in online and computer crimes.
Th agency also operates the State Police Crime Laboratory.
The agency previously ran a section called the Anti-Terrorist Assistance Program (ATAP) which was a joint venture with the U.S. State Department. This ATAP section trained foreign police and military forces in detecting, preventing, and fighting of terrorism.
[edit] Fallen officers
Since its formation in 1922, 25 LSP troopers have been killed in the line of duty. The most common cause of line of duty deaths to date is Automobile Crashes.[8]
- 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
- Senior Trooper Duane Dalton Jan. 12, 2010
[edit] See also
- Louisiana State Troopers Association
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries - Enforcement Division
- List of law enforcement agencies in Louisiana
- State police
- State patrol
- Highway patrol
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2004" (PDF). U.S. Department of Justice. June 2007. http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/csllea04.pdf.
- ^ "Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2008" (PDF). U.S. Department of Justice. July 2011. http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/csllea08.pdf.
- ^ "Louisiana State Police Headquarters." Louisiana State Police. Retrieved on October 28, 2010. "7919 Independence Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806."
- ^ CALEA
- ^ LSP - About Us - Our History
- ^ http://www.lsp.org/troopchistory.html
- ^ http://www.lsp.org/images/edmonson2.jpg
- ^ Officer Down Memorial Page
[edit] External links
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