State Troopers Done Came

LSP History

Louisiana State Law is an organisation with an incredibly rich history. Our motto, "Courtesy, Loyalty, Service," has given us direction and inspiration. As the men and women of this organization set for the hereafter, we must reflect on the legacy and heritage left by those who preceded us. When the Louisiana Legislature passed a neb in 1936 creating the State Police, few observers could take predicted the esteem this agency would savour in Louisiana and beyond the nation. Louisiana State Police has emerged from a highway commission in 1922 with a force of xvi men patrolling the highways on motorcycles to its current status of a state police forcefulness of 1022 men and women responsible for all elements of criminal and highway safety interdiction in the state.

Louisiana's kickoff attempt at police enforcement on a statewide level came in 1922 in response to the arrival of the motorcar. Louisiana had ii,700 miles of roadway and an estimated 102,000 vehicles. The Louisiana Highway Committee was created and given the power to appoint inspectors to enforce laws relating to the highways. The Commission operated with the country divided into ten districts; 16 officers patrolled the unabridged country. During the two twelvemonth period from 1922 to 1924, 114 serious accidents and 18,918 violations of motor vehicle laws were reported.

By 1928 the Law Enforcement Sectionalisation of the Highway Commission was beginning to function as a true land law. Structural changes were made, dividing the land into three administrative districts supervised by captains. The strength had grown to 70 uniformed officers with expanded duties such as managing traffic at large gatherings of people. The officers were besides called on in times of emergency such as the "Flood of 1927." The men were commended for their meritorious service in the evacuation of overflowing victims and patrolling the Mississippi River levees. At this time an additional branch of law enforcement, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, was established to deal with criminal activeness not related to traffic laws. In 1932 the State Highway Patrol was given the say-so to acquit firearms.

On July 28, 1936, the two divisions of law enforcement were combined to form a modern, well equipped, and well-trained force known as the Louisiana Department of Land Police. The section thrived nether the direction of an appointed superintendent, Full general Louis F. Guerre. His goal was to model State Police later J. Edgar Hoover'southward famed "One thousand-Men." This was accomplished to a great extent with the institution of a training school and a criminal offense lab. Loftier priority was given to the crackdown on narcotics trafficking. Under Guerre's administration, the state was redistricted into eleven districts. A total of 146 Country Police personnel were assigned to the patrol districts, the grooming schoolhouse, and the Bureau of Investigation. Information technology was during this era that the Country Police force adopted the slogan "Courtesy, Loyalty, and Service." Guerre also established the State Police headquarters at the old prison house site on Jaybird Lane (at present South Foster Drive) in Baton Rouge.

In 1940 The Country Civil Service Organisation was established offer "protection from political considerations" to State Constabulary officers likewise as other state employees. This legislation, backed by reform governor Sam Jones, was dismantled by Earl Thou. Long when he returned to the executive office in 1948. State Law would not proceeds protection under Ceremonious Service again until 1952.

Another major change came near in 1942 when the Louisiana Legislature abolished the Department of Land Police and made it a division of the newly created Department of Public Safety. State Police accepted new responsibilities in 1946 when the Drivers License Police force was enacted requiring every driver to hold a license for operating a motor vehicle. Prior to this time, but the operators of commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses were required to be licensed. Nether the leadership of Colonel Francis C. Grevemberg, State Police added an air patrol to its ranks. This was the beginning of the use of shipping to track down fugitives, assist in emergency situations, and monitor speeders on the state's highways. At the same time a stock patrol, officers on horseback, was established to remove devious farm animals which might be grazing or wandering along roadways. This squad of officers would later play a major role in providing security at rock concerts and civil rights marches.

During Colonel Grevemberg'south administration, Louisiana first experienced gambling raids. This crackdown focused on major syndicate-owned casinos, prostitution rings, bookmaking operations, and even included church bingo games. However, the entrada against gambling and associated vices did not last long. When Earl Thou. Long took control of the Governor's Function again in 1956, he announced that State Police force would no longer "harass and intimidate the citizens." This attitude against using state troopers in gambling raids prevailed through the administrations of Governors Jimmy Davis and John McKeithen.

In 1961 the Legislature passed a new law requiring the inspection of all motor vehicles. Then in 1962, the Legislature enacted a new highway code which established a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour on multilane highways and 60 miles per hour on other highways. Together, these were considered of import steps toward improving highway safe.

State troopers faced what may have been their most challenging assignment when they, along with the Louisiana National Guard, were called to guard and protect civil rights marchers in Bogalusa. In 1965 and once more in 1967, troopers had the task of trying to prevent the violence and bloodshed that had scarred other cities across the nation during the ceremonious rights struggle. These demonstrations, in add-on to others occurring on college campuses across the country, prompted Country Police force to add "Big Bertha" to its armory in 1968. "Large Bertha" was a bootleg anti-anarchism armored vehicle weighing thirteen tons and costing $22,000 to construct.

Under the leadership of Colonel Stanley Berthelot, many changes took place in the section, nigh of which were instituted in 1969. The Louisiana State Troopers Clan was created in an attempt to improve the quality of working atmospheric condition, to increase salaries, and to serve every bit a means to address troopers' major concerns. Also, at this time Land Constabulary increased the efficiency of its air patrol. The airplane was augmented by iii helicopters, providing more than versatility. Colonel Berthelot also added a Tactical Unit to the force at headquarters and each of the eleven troop districts. This was an entirely new concept for State Police, allowing the department to respond to emergency situations which were beyond the capacity of local police force to handle.

In 1972 Colonel Donald Thibodeaux was appointed by Governor Edwin Edwards every bit Superintendent of State Police. Colonel Thibodeaux led the department through many reforms, near of which are all the same in effect today. He began the reorganization of the State Police construction by calculation 3 regional offices to supervise the eleven troop districts. During Thibodeaux's administration, personnel in the department increased by 235, and in 1976 Louisiana recorded its lowest highway fatality charge per unit in history, four.1 deaths per one hundred million miles. Amid the new sections formed by Colonel Thibodeaux were the Internal Affairs Unit of measurement, which investigates any complaints lodged against members of the State Police; the Merit Lath, which reviews the applications for promotion in the section; and the Explosives Control Unit, which oversees all matters concerning explosives and investigates incidents involving suspicious devices.

Colonel Grover "Bo" Garrison took office in November 1976 and was reappointed to the position in 1980 past Governor Dave Treen. Garrison was one of but two Superintendents of Country Law to survive a change in assistants. Colonel Garrison led State Police to its highest staffing level of 960 troopers in 1984. Many factors contributed to this tremendous growth, including the availability of funding and increased emphasis on narcotics enforcement and countering drug smuggling. Smuggling had get a tremendous trouble in Louisiana during the late 1970's and early 1980's as a result of increased federal patrols along the Florida declension. This higher concentration of officers in the Florida expanse caused smugglers to shift their operations to ports along the inner Gulf Coast. State police all the same focus a great deal of attending on narcotics enforcement today.

After 1984 the economic movie changed dramatically for Louisiana. Oil prices plunged worldwide and South Louisiana saw a dramatic shutdown in oil production. The loss of oil and gas revenues caused state regime to begin trimming its operation. Although the Department of Public Safety was affected past the economic crisis, it began to have on added responsibilities. In 1986 the Charitable Gaming Unit of measurement was formed to regulate bingo, raffles, and other charitable fund raisers. At the same fourth dimension, the Racing Investigations Unit was put into place to maintain the integrity of pari-mutuel racing in the country. The Motor Carrier Safe Department was given the responsibleness of regulating the trucking manufacture on Louisiana's highways.

Continued budget cuts in 1988 resulted in the closure of Troop H in Leesville and Troop K in Opelousas and the consolidation of the Country Police structure into three regional commands with three troops in each region. As well, the Criminal Investigation Bureau was reorganized and reduced in size, severely affecting investigations. The 3 regions were given additional responsibilities as narcotics enforcement was moved from headquarters to the region areas. Every bit the 1980's came to a close, the Louisiana State Police was a much leaner organization. Through budget cuts, the department was able to maintain its many responsibilities with manpower of 650 troopers patrolling the land's highways.

In 1992 the department took over a new and much more circuitous responsibility: riverboat and video poker gaming. Operating with a small contingency of troopers, the Louisiana State Police began formulating the tough licensing process for all who either wished to ain a river gunkhole casino or operate a video poker franchise. Although the task seemed overwhelming, experienced "highway patrolmen" quickly adjusted from law enforcers to regulators. The section began to flourish with new equipment and more manpower as a result of existence the primary watchdog of the new gaming industry. With this newly added equipment and manpower, the section was able to take on a different role in constabulary enforcement, that of assisting all law enforcement agencies by using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). AFIS provides police enforcement with a tool that instantly identifies a person through his fingerprints which are imperative to criminal identification and arrest. Besides, a totally updated 800 megahertz radio system was implemented which allows multi-agency or jurisdiction coordination among all law enforcement agencies.

With the successful completion of several academy classes, the purchase of upwardly-to-date technology such equally AFIS, and the growth of the Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police began the procedure of regaining much of the force lost as a result of the upkeep cuts of the late 1980's.  In 1996 Mike Foster was inaugurated as Louisiana's 53rd governor, and he quickly appointed W. R. "Rut" Whittington to the Superintendent'due south position in January of that aforementioned year.  Foster would be an ambitious supporter of State Police.

Colonel Whittington realigned the senior command level in the system by creating several unclassified Deputy Superintendent positions, implemented ideals training throughout the agency, and emphasized a shift in buck training.  The new approach to training was based on emerging innovations in adult pedagogy and focused on improving the individual problem solving skills of all deputed personnel.  Whittington retired in 2000 but left backside an agency which had been greatly improved and influenced by a supportive governor.

After those prosperous years, the section was faced with astringent upkeep and manpower cuts presently afterward the installation of newly appointed superintendent, Colonel Terry C. Landry in the summer of 2000. Colonel Landry faced many challenges during the first several months of his administration. Notwithstanding, nether his leadership, the department remained potent and the members aligned themselves with Colonel Landry in his resolve to raise the Louisiana State Police to levels that surpass the expectations of the country'south citizens.

The State Constabulary and Department of Public Prophylactic headquarters relocated to a new, 165 acre compound on Independence Boulevard in 2002 after the compound on North Foster Drive was transferred to the Billy Rouge Customs College.

On Jan 12, 2004 Colonel Henry L. Whitehorn was sworn in every bit Deputy Secretarial assistant of the Department of Public Condom and Superintendent of the State Police.

On July nineteen, 2007 Colonel Stanley Griffin was sworn in every bit Deputy Secretarial assistant of the Department of Public Safety and Superintendent of the Country Police.

On January 14, 2008 Colonel Michael D. Edmonson was sworn in as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Superintendent of the State Police.

On March 25, 2017, Colonel Kevin W. Reeves was appointed the 26th Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police. He too serves as Deputy Secretary of Public Safety Services.

On Oct 30, 2020, Colonel Lamar A. Davis was appointed the 27th Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police force. He likewise serves equally Deputy Secretary of Public Safety Services.

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Troop History

	Troop A		Troop B
	Troop C		Troop D
	Troop East		Troop F
	Troop G		Troop I
	Troop L

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Historical Documents

	1940 Archway Exam		Elvis Presley Speeding Ticket
	Huey Long Re-Investigation		Interview: Jimmie Davis
	Interview: Francis C. Grevemberg		Interview: David J. Keyser, Sr.
	Interview: Malcolm Millet		Interview: Russell Willie

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Video

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Image Gallery

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Source: http://www.lsp.org/about_hist.html

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