How to Become a Police Officer in Louisiana

Becoming a Police Officer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge police officers have been around since just after the end of the Civil War. Today becoming a Baton Rouge police officer means working alongside approximately 700 distinguished fellow officers, being responsible for the 228,000 citizens and additional guests who visit the 76 square mile city. You will be assigned to one of 50 divisions where you will have the opportunity to make a personal contribution to the protection of life and property with Baton Rouge police jobs.


The following is a guide for how to become a cop in Baton Rouge:

  1. Minimum requirements
  2. Civil service exam
  3. Physical assessment exam
  4. Oral interview
  5. Background investigation
  6. Professional examinations
  7. Training academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Baton Rouge

Your first step will be to confirm that you meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Honorable discharge, if prior military service
  • U.S. citizen
  • Mostly clean criminal record
  • Good character
  • U.S. citizen
  • At least 21 years old
  • High school graduate or GED
  • Resident of Louisiana soon after hire

Step 2. Civil Service Exam

If you are certain you meet the minimum requirements for Baton Rouge police jobs, your next step will be to register for the civil service exam. When a test will be offered it will be advertised on the city’s website, the police department’s website and Facebook page, and local radio stations and newspapers. You may register for this exam 30 days before it will be proctored, and to do this you will need to fill out an application and provide three letters of reference. The exam will cover:

  • Critical thinking skills
  • Mathematic abilities
  • Reading comprehension
  • Problem analysis
  • Writing ability

The city of Baton Rouge also offers some general study suggestions for the test on its website.

Step 3. Physical Assessment Exam

Your physical assessment exam will make sure you are in good enough shape to complete the job duties of a Baton Rouge cop. Events covered will be:

  • Push-ups
  • Sit-ups
  • 300-meter sprinting
  • 1.5-mile run

Step 4. Oral Interview

Police department officials will sit down with you to discuss your motivations for wanting to become a police officer in Baton Rouge and your previous employment experiences. They will be looking for you to demonstrate excellent communication skills and be personable.

Step 5. Background Investigation

The Baton Rouge PD conducts a thorough background investigation on all its police officer candidates. For this you will begin by meeting with a detective who will go over your history in:

  • Employment
  • Education
  • Criminal records
  • Finances and credit
  • Driving
  • Military
  • Personal conduct

The detective will also consult the relevant records and people to confirm your statements regarding these subject areas. You will also need to take and pass a polygraph examination.

Step 6. Professional Examinations

This step involves completing a psychological evaluation that will be conducted by a licensed psychiatrist to assess your emotional health for becoming a police officer in Baton Rouge. You will also  be scheduled to complete a physical exam performed by a doctor in addition to a drug test.

Step 7. Training Academy

Your final step to becoming a certified police officer in Baton Rouge is the completion of a 21-week training academy. Upon graduation you will be partnered with an experienced veteran officer who will continue training you on-the-job. Areas of your study will include:

  • First aid and CPR
  • Patrol strategies
  • Crime scene investigation
  • Legal issues including state and city laws
  • Firearms and non-lethal weapons
  • Report writing
  • Questioning and investigative techniques
  • Defensive driving
  • Family law and the juvenile justice system

Becoming a Police Officer in Lafayette, Louisiana

As a Lafayette, Louisiana police officer you will protect life and property throughout the city. Lafayette’s agriculture, natural gas, petroleum, and medical sectors would not be thriving as they are today if it was not for the stability in the city provided by police officers. Lafayette police jobs are available to dedicated and motivated individuals.

If this sounds like the job for you, then take a look through the application process to find out how to become a cop in Lafayette:

  1. Minimum Requirements
  2. Civil Service Exam
  3. Polygraph Examination
  4. Physical Abilities Testing
  5. Background Investigation
  6. Oral Interview
  7. Health Examinations
  8. Training Academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Lafayette

Before you do anything else, the first thing you will need to do is check that you meet the minimum qualifications for becoming a police officer in Lafayette:

  • No criminal history
  • Normal body functions that allow you to carry out your duties
  • Upon hire be willing to establish residency within 30 miles of the Lafayette courthouse
  • At least 20 years old
  • High school diploma or GED
  • U.S. citizen
  • Driver’s license
  • Honorable discharge from the military, if applicable

Step 2. Civil Service Exam

Your first real step in the application process is to check with the Office of State Examiner to see when the next entry-level civil service exam will be offered. You may take the exam in any location in Louisiana, but if it is outside the Lafayette region you will need to arrange for the results to be forwarded to the Lafayette PD. There is a study guide offered for this examination, which includes:

  • A half-hour audio-guided test on following instructions
  • 73 multiple-choice questions to complete in 1.5 hours on:
    • Logic
    • Noticing details
    • Classification
    • Prioritization
    • Reading comprehension
    • Pattern recognition

You can print a civil service test application online. Make sure to fill this out completely and legibly, attaching all requested documents.

Step 3. Polygraph Examination

When your application has been reviewed and determined to be complete, and you have achieved a competitive score on your civil service exam, you will be eligible to continue to the next step in the Lafayette police officer application process: the polygraph examination.

This will begin with a pre-polygraph interview where you will meet with your examiner to go over  subject areas and some of your background information. Your polygraph examination will be scheduled shortly after your pre-polygraph interview, and will probe:

  • Past employment and education history
  • Previous illegal activities for which you were never caught
  • Your criminal records
  • Previous immoral actions

Step 4. Physical Abilities Testing

If everything goes well with your polygraph examination the next task you must complete is the physical abilities testing. This includes:

  • Push-ups
  • Sit-ups
  • Obstacle course
  • 1.5-mile run

You will need to pass these events at a certain basic level that will indicate you have the physical abilities to carry out the job requirements of a Lafayette cop.

Step 5. Background Investigation

Becoming a police officer in Lafayette also means submitting to a thorough background investigation. You will begin this process by filling out a personal history questionnaire that will be checked over by your investigating detective. You will sit down for a background interview with the detective, who will go over a preliminary review of your background questionnaire before he or she begins a records check and conducting interviews. The background detective will verify your minimum employment qualifications and conduct interviews with people who have known or observed you in the past.

Step 6. Oral Interview

At this point you will meet with Lafayette police department officials for a panel interview. Demonstrate your best communication skills and make an effort to answer questions completely and to the satisfaction of your board interviewers.

Step 7. Health Examinations

You will need to complete two health examinations once you reach this step:

  • Medical Exam: This includes a physical exam, drug test, vision screening for distance, depth perception and color, and a hearing test.
  • Psychological Evaluation: This will be conducted by a licensed psychiatrist who will evaluate you on your overall mental health and tolerance of stress.

Step 8. Training Academy

Once you have made it through all the previous steps you will eligible to begin your Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training Academy. The Lafayette PD will inform you when and where the next class will be held, that will at minimum be 360 hours, to be followed by additional training with the Lafayette PD. Subject areas covered include:

  • Criminal justice system
  • Domestic violence
  • Juvenile justice system
  • Family issues
  • Firearms training
  • Crime scene investigation
  • Patrol techniques
  • Report writing

Becoming a Police Officer in Lake Charles, Louisiana

The Lake Charles Police Department has come a long way since its first constable, who was a veteran of the civil war and the town blacksmith. In 1975 the police department hired its first female patrol officers and the department has continued to evolve up to the present day, now focusing on a variety of community-police collaborations.

If you are interested in Lake Charles, Louisiana police jobs then have a look through the application process:

  1. Minimum requirements
  2. Application
  3. Civil service exam
  4. Physical agility test
  5. Background investigation
  6. Oral board interview
  7. Polygraph examination
  8. Professional examinations
  9. Training academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Lake Charles

On your way to becoming a police officer in Lake Charles, the first thing you must do is to ensure you meet the minimum job requirements:

  • Louisiana driver’s license upon hire
  • Live within the city limits upon hire
  • Be psychologically, emotionally, and physically healthy
  • At least 21 years old
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Have a mostly clean criminal and driving record
  • Have a strong moral character

Step 2. Application

Next you will need to obtain an application by either contacting the city’s human resources department or the police department’s recruiting division. Make sure to fill the application out entirely because incomplete applications or those missing requested documents will not be considered.

Step 3. Civil Service Exam

You will also need to complete a civil service exam. There is a study guide offered for this, which you can register for by consulting the Office of State Examiner’s website and seeing when the next exam will be offered. Subjects covered include:

  • Listening comprehension
  • Logical reasoning
  • Reading comprehension
  • Pattern recognition
  • Classification efficiency
  • Detail recognition
  • Prioritization

Step 4. Physical Agility Test

The next step in becoming a Lake Charles cop involves the completion of a physical agility test. This will include several events that you will need to satisfactorily complete in order to demonstrate you are capable of physically performing your job duties:

  • Sit-ups
  • Push-ups
  • 1.5-mile run
  • Obstacle course
  • Sprinting

Step 5. Background Investigation

The background investigation can take several weeks to complete and is an extensive process. First a detective will confirm that you meet the basic Lake Charles police officer job qualifications. This will necessitate a check of your criminal, education, driving, personal, and employment history.

Next the investigating detective will need to confirm you are of good moral quality. This will mean conducting personal interviews with people who can vouch for you, including:

  • Classmates
  • Teachers
  • Colleagues
  • Supervisors
  • Neighbors
  • Friends
  • Family

Step 6. Oral Board Interview

This will be your opportunity to impress Lake Charles PD officials with an outgoing and engaging personality. Begin by relaxing and arriving with a clear head. This will help you to be yourself and show the police department who they are really hiring. You will be questioned about your previous employment experiences as well as your motivations for wanting to become a Lake Charles police officer.

Step 7. Polygraph Examination

You will also need to complete a polygraph examination. This will take a couple of hours and be administered by a professional who will investigate your past history with criminal, immoral, and illegal drug activities.

Step 8. Professional Examinations

Before you begin your training academy you will need to pass two exams by certified professionals in their fields:

  • A medical exam to include a thorough physical, drug test, and hearing and vision screening.
  • A psychological evaluation that will be administered by a licensed psychiatrist who will sign off on your general level of mental stability and tolerance for difficult situations.

Step 9. Training Academy

At this point you will be ready to learn all the basic skills you will need for a successful start to a career as a Lake Charles cop. Your training academy will be approximately 11 weeks long and include skill development in the areas of:

  • Patrolling
  • Firearms
  • Crime scene investigation
  • Interrogation techniques
  • CPR and first aid
  • Legal procedures
  • Courtroom etiquette
  • Domestic violence

Becoming a Police Officer in New Orleans, Louisiana

The militaries of Spain and then France were first responsible for policing New Orleans. This was followed by United States control and an organized street patrol. However due to corruption and other circumstances the police force was ineffective, and in 1820s and 30s neighborhoods established vigilante groups to protect themselves. Things were not made any better when the city was captured during the Civil War, followed by several subsequent riots in which the police force participated.

Up to the present day becoming a police officer in New Orleans has meant dealing with the good times and the bad – In other words, it’s not easy being a police officer in the Big Easy

The officers that hold New Orleans police jobs will never have a dull moment. These jobs are open to dedicated, ideologically motivated applicants. Becoming a cop in New Orleans proceeds along the following steps:

  1. Minimum requirements
  2. Application
  3. Tests
  4. Background investigation
  5. Drug test
  6. Medical examination
  7. Psychological evaluation
  8. Hire
  9. Training

Step 1. Minimum Requirements

Meeting police officer standards in New Orleans is the first step you must take to confirm that you are eligible:

  • At least 20 years old
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Either 60 college credit hours or two years of full-time military service
  • In good psychological and physical shape
  • Have a mostly clean driving record and criminal history

Step 2. Application

You can fill out an application packet and turn it in to the New Orleans PD either by mail or in person. Make sure to enclose all requested documents and originals with your application, including your personal history form that will be used later in your background investigation. Remember to fill out your application completely and legibly or it will not be considered.

Once the New Orleans PD has received your legible and complete application you will be given an admissions slip for the next available written test.

Step 3. Tests

The first test you will need to pass is the written test. This is a basic civil service exam that evaluates your abilities in:

  • Math
  • Reading comprehension
  • Writing ability

Once you pass this test you will need to take a physical agility test and meet the following standards:

  • 14 sit-ups in one minute
  • 10 push-ups
  • Complete a 1.5-mile run in 19 minutes and 50 seconds or less
  • Sprint 300 meters in 2 minutes or less
  • Perform additional tasks to be revealed at the time of testing

Step 4. Background Investigation

Your background investigation will be carried out by an experienced NOPD detective who will conduct records checks and personal interviews to determine your personal, financial, employment, educational, and military history. Your background check will include:

  • Polygraph examination
  • Written interview
  • Fingerprinting
  • Taped oral interview
  • For male candidates under 27: presentation of your selective service registration card

Step 5. Drug Test

Just before you are given a conditional offer of employment you will be required to pass a urinalysis drug test. If you fail this test you will be disqualified from the application process and this may not be rescheduled.

Step 6. Medical Examination

The civil service physician will determine what tests and procedures you will need to undergo as part of your medical examination. This will include a physical exam, back x-rays, and a check of your hearing and vision.

Step 7. Psychological Evaluation

The evaluating psychiatrist will base his or her recommendation of you on the following:

  • 3 written tests the psychiatrist will administer
  • Your background investigation
  • Personal psychological interview

Step 8. Get Hired

Your final step will be to receive certification for hire. A civil service committee and police officials will participate in the final process that allows you to become a cop in New Orleans.

Step 9. Training

As part of your training you will participate in a 22-week state-certified training program, followed by an extensive training with experience field officers. Areas covered will include:

  • Crime scene and accident investigation
  • Firearms training
  • Interrogation and interview techniques
  • Patrol techniques
  • Criminal justice system
  • Self-defense and lifetime fitness
  • Legal procedures
  • Courtroom testifying and etiquette

Becoming a Police Officer in Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport police jobs are available to candidates that can meet the requirements and have the drive to work toward improving this Louisiana community. In Shreveport, police jobs involve working alongside approximately 575 other police officers that collectively respond to about 250,000 calls for service every year.

This guide will provide you with information on how to become a police officer in Shreveport, Louisiana:

  1. Minimum requirements
  2. Civil service exam
  3. Physical fitness test
  4. Applicant interview board
  5. Background investigation
  6. Polygraph examination
  7. Psychological evaluation
  8. Medical examination
  9. Training

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Shreveport

The first step to becoming a police officer in Shreveport is to make sure you can meet the minimum job requirements:

  • Be of good moral character
  • Have no felony convictions
  • Be in good physical and mental health
  • U.S. citizen
  • At least 21 years old
  • Valid driver’s license

Step 2. Civil Service Examination

Because Shreveport police officers are civil servants you will need to take a state civil service exam. You can take the test anywhere in Louisiana and transfer your results to the Shreveport police department. Find out when and where the next tests are scheduled by checking the Office of State Examiner’s online listing. A civil service registration form and a summary of the application process are also available on the Shreveport PD’s website. Additionally there is a study guide offered for the examination, which will evaluate the subjects of:

  • Reading comprehension
  • Listening comprehension
  • Pattern recognition
  • Logical problem solving
  • Classification and prioritization

Step 3. Physical Fitness Test

The next part of the application process is to pass a physical fitness test that will be calibrated for you based on your age and gender. The test will be held in three events, with the most stringent requirements, those for males aged 21-29, listed below:

  • Push-ups: 22 in one minute
  • Sit-ups: 33 in one minute
  • 1.5-mile run: Completed in 13 minutes and 58 seconds

Have an idea of your schedule for the following week, because if you pass your physical fitness test you will immediately be scheduled for a board interview.

Step 4. Applicant Interview Board

This will be an interview conducted by a board of Shreveport PD officials. Dress and act professionally and answer all questions completely. The board members will be curious to know about your past employment experience as well as your motivations for wanting to become a Shreveport cop.

Step 5. Background Investigation

You will have been given a background questionnaire upon completion of a successful board interview that you must return to begin your background investigation, along with three signed letters of recommendation. Your background investigation will examine all the relevant records to confirm you meet the requirements for a job as a Shreveport police officer and usually takes about two weeks to complete.

Step 6. Polygraph Examination

Your polygraph examination usually takes about two hours to complete and will go over any additional material that needs to be clarified from your background investigation.

Step 7. Psychological Evaluation

This step takes most of the day to complete. You will arrive in the morning to the psychiatrist’s office where you will take a written psychological test. Afterward you will meet with the psychiatrist to discuss the results of the test and conduct further oral analysis.

Step 8. Medical Examination

Your medical examination will be conducted by a licensed physician and include:

  • Thorough physical exam
  • Back exam
  • Vision test
  • Hearing check
  • Drug test
  • Blood test
  • Tuberculosis test

Step 9. Training

The final step in becoming a fully-certified Shreveport police officer is the completion of your training. This will begin at the Shreveport Police Regional Training Academy for 16 weeks of basic training. Upon graduation you will begin patrolling with an experienced field training officer to complete your final weeks of field training. Topics covered include:

  • Firearms and non-lethal weapons
  • Defensive driving
  • Criminal justice system
  • Report writing
  • Legal procedures
  • Crime scene investigation
  • Interrogation techniques
  • Domestic violence
  • First aid and CPR

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