Join the Police Department

Each accepted applicant will be proceeded in the following order:

• Submit a complete application
• Score 75% or Higher on the Entry Level Police Officer Civil Service Test (Civil Service Test)
• Background Investigation
• Preliminary Polygraph/C.V.S.A. interview
• Polygraph/C.V.S.A. Examination
• 24-40 Hours of Patrol Ride-along
• Physical Fitness Testing (300-meter sprint, push-ups, sit-ups, and officer down drill)
• Oral Review Board
• Psychological Evaluation
• Medical Examination

Once completing the P.O.S.T. academy, Initial Phase Training and a Four phase Field Training Program all newly hired Police employees will be required to work full time shift work consisting of either 12-hour fixed days or night shifts on alternating weekends and some holidays. New Police Officers are required to conduct initial criminal investigations and are expected to have a vast working knowledge of all City, State and Federal laws. In order to complete these investigations, the Police employee is required to make arrests, issue summonses or forward the investigation for further follow-up to other Police Department Divisions.

Police employees are expected to conduct proactive traffic enforcement activities on a daily basis and investigate minor and major traffic crashes which may involve injuries, fatalities and DWI offenders. Police employees are sometimes called upon to apprehend dangerous felony offenders and are required to be physically fit to perform these duties. Police employees must be proficient in modern law enforcement principles, procedures and techniques as well as demonstrate proficiency in computer skills.

The Police employee must be able to exercise sound judgment on calls where immediate action is required within department guidelines and state law and possess effective communications skills. Additionally, all Police employees are required to successfully complete 40 hours of annual "In-Service" job related training.

• 20 years old or over.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
• Your physical ability must enable you to perform the duties of a police officer.
• No criminal history.
• Valid driver's license.
• Honorable discharge from military (if applicable).

To be considered for employment with the Lafayette Police Department, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

Age
You must not be less than 20 years of age.

Residency
Upon application, you must be a citizen of the United States, will be a qualified elector of the State of Louisiana and maintain a permanent address where you can be contacted. You must agree, upon appointment, to establish residency within 30 miles of the Lafayette Parish Court House.

Education
You must be a high school graduate, or have a state high school equivalency certificate approved by any recognized State Board of Education.

Physical Ability
You must meet and maintain any medical standards designed to demonstrate good health, to perform the duties of the position, as determined by a qualified physician.

Felony Convictions
Automatic disqualification.

Misdemeanor Criminal Convictions
One may be disqualified after review of conviction. Any misdemeanor conviction regarding Domestic Violence Crimes permanently disqualifies the candidate for consideration of employment.

DWI/OWI/DUI
No convictions within 5 years prior to application.

Driver's License
You must have a valid Louisiana License or a current license from another state. Must not have excessive moving violations on your record. NOTE: Automatic disqualification will result should the applicant's driving record show 5 moving violations; or 2 serious violations with accidents; or one OWI.

Pending Civil Litigation
If an applicant is involved in litigation, said applicant will be placed in a pending status until all civil litigation has been concluded. The applicant will be required to bring a certified photocopy of documentation from the respective jurisdiction where the proceedings were held, and indicating that all proceedings have concluded.

Salary
Currently, the annual salary for an entry-level Police Officer is $45,000 per annum.  After one year, state supplemental pay provides a $7,200 annual increase ($52,200). Officers are paid biweekly, working an 80-hour pay period with alternating weekends off.

Vacation
Vacation is earned at the following rate; 6 months but less than 5 years, 96 hours; 5 years but less than 10 years, 120 hours; 10 years but less than 15 years, 144 hours; 15 years but less than 20 years, 168 hours; 20 years and over, 192 hours. The initial earning of leave and future increases will begin on the first day of the first pay period after completion of 6 months of continuous service and thereafter, the applicable continuous service anniversary date.

Retirement
Employees with the Lafayette Police Department belong to the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System (MPERS). The retirements are as follows: 20yrs----66 2/3% at age 50, 25yrs----83 1/3% at any age, and 30yrs----99.9% at any age.

College Tuition Assistance Program
The Lafayette Police Department recognizes the importance of education and offers an excellent tuition reimbursement program to its officers.

Equipment
All uniforms and equipment provided. Take-home unit provided after ALL training is completed (Officer must live within 30 miles of the Lafayette Police Department to qualify for take-home unit privileges).

Sick Leave
Each employee is entitled to sick leave with full pay for any illness or injury, not brought about by his own negligence or culpable indiscretion, which prevents his attendance at duty for a period of 52 weeks.

Health Insurance
Health insurance is extended to the officers along with a free life insurance policy.

Deferred Compensation
The Lafayette Consolidated Government also offers an employee the opportunity to become a member of Nationwide Retirement Solutions, which is an optional retirement benefit program. This is a deferred compensation program (pretax dollar plan) that allows employees to make contributions to the plan. These contributions are not taxed until withdrawn.

Holidays
The Lafayette Consolidated Government recognizes 10 holidays per year. These holidays are listed below:

• New Years Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Mardi Gras Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Acadian Day
• Christmas Day

Life Insurance
The Lafayette Consolidated Government provides life insurance for the employee. The amount of the insurance is calculated by multiplying the annual salary by two.