LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT
School Resource Officers

In 2007, the Lafayette Police Department entered into an agreement with the Lafayette Parish School Board to provide police officers to work on school campuses. Initially the program consisted of 4 police officers who worked on all of the high school campuses within the City of Lafayette. During the 2008–2009 school years, the program was expanded to all middle and high schools throughout Lafayette Parish. Schools located outside of the City of Lafayette are patrolled by their respective law enforcement jurisdictions.

The SRO program has 21 officers assigned that’s including 2 supervising Sergeant positions. All schools in the city of Lafayette have officers or deputies assigned. Officers are trained not only to respond to school campus issues, but also on conflict resolution. With the officers located on the campus, they can immediately respond to any problems or issues that would require a law enforcement action. The officers also mentor the students and teach classes. Their presence allows officers to forge bonds with the students allowing them to gather crucial information on crimes committed on campus. Each school campus has an effective Crime Stoppers Program that pays students who provide information that solves crimes on campus.