LA State Police cheat sheet

Age: must be at least 21 years old at the time of appointment as a Louisiana State Police cadet; no maximum age limit is imposed by statute.

Citizenship: must be a citizen of the United States; lawful permanent residents are not eligible unless they have naturalized before appointment.

Education: must possess a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) equivalency; no college degree is required for the entry-level trooper position.

Driver's license: must hold a valid Louisiana driver's license at the time of application and maintain it throughout employment.

Criminal record: must have no felony conviction; misdemeanor convictions are evaluated case-by-case and may disqualify based on recency and nature.

Drug use: illegal drug use within a specified lookback period (e.g., marijuana within 2 years, other controlled substances within 5-10 years) is typically disqualifying; policy details are set by the agency.

Physical fitness: must pass the LSP Physical Fitness Test, which includes timed push-ups, sit-ups, a 1.5-mile run, and an agility course; standards are age- and gender-normed.

Background investigation: must successfully complete a comprehensive background check, including credit history, employment references, and polygraph examination.

Medical and psychological: must pass a pre-employment medical examination and a psychological evaluation to verify fitness for duty.

Academy duration: the LSP Training Academy is approximately 26 weeks long and is residential; recruits live on campus during the week.

Curriculum components: instruction covers criminal law, traffic law, firearms, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, physical fitness, and community policing.

Academic standard: recruits must maintain a minimum passing score (typically 70%) on all written examinations; failure may result in remediation or dismissal.

Firearms qualification: recruits must qualify with the duty pistol and shotgun at designated distances; failure to qualify after remedial training can lead to dismissal.

Physical fitness progression: recruits must pass periodic fitness tests throughout the academy, with standards increasing in difficulty as the academy progresses.

Field training: after academy graduation, probationary troopers complete a Field Training Program with a certified Field Training Officer before solo patrol.

Conduct and honor code: violations of the academy honor code or conduct regulations can result in immediate dismissal and disqualification from future LSP employment.

Certification: graduates receive Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification, which is required for continued employment as a law enforcement officer in the state.