Police Officer Recruit

THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE IS SEEKING DEDICATED & COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICE OFFICER RECRUITS TO JOIN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT! The City of Lafayette is seeking Police Recruits to send to the police academy in January 2026 to join our Police Department.

Police Recruits will be hired before the start of academy to work with the Police Department in a training capacity prior to going to the police academy.

The Lafayette Police Department provides professional, ethical, impartial and community-oriented law enforcement services to residents and visitors alike.

The department promoted community safety and well-being, reduces crime, the fear of crime and neighborhood decay, and protects life and property.

This posting is open to candidates who are not P.O.S.T Certified.

Our Police Officers enjoy a 4-step pay plan: 2025 pay rates are listed below: Police Officer Step 1: $80,080Police Officer Step 2: $88,088Police Officer Step 3: $96,897Police Officer Step 4: $106,586 TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS: KNOWLEDGE: Ability to develop working knowledge of: Federal, State and local statutes, ordinances; proper law enforcement principles, procedures, practices; first aid and medical procedures and practices; the city and surrounding areas including streets, buildings, landmarks, alleys, roads, etc.SKILL: Ability to develop skill in the use of law enforcement vehicles, firearms, related law enforcement equipment, and principles and practices of self-defense.TRAINING: High School Diploma or equivalent.EXPERIENCE: Requires 30 semester hours of college completed; or one (1) year military service having been honorably discharged; a combination of any of the above categories that is approved by the City's Human Resources Department, or any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides evidence that the applicant possesses the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The following duties are illustrative only and are not intended to be all inclusive: Learns to patrol the City in a police vehicle or on foot, in order to enforce Federal, State and local laws and ordinances.

Learns to serve and protect individuals and property and to respond to complaints, crimes, disturbances, accidents and other related situations.

Observes Officers performing preliminary investigations; obtaining physical and other evidence and listens to statements necessary for reporting facts and circumstances of incidents in order to charge individuals with offenses, and to follow-up detailed investigations and how to protect crime scenes.

Learns how to appear in court in order to offer testimony; meet and confer with attorneys on legal questions regarding arrests of individuals.

Helps to prepare and maintain a variety of reports, by recording and logging necessary data on a daily basis regarding activities and specific incidents that have occurred.

Observes officers' control vehicular traffic and enforce traffic laws; deal with traffic accidents; establish and maintain ro...