More than 20 individuals interested in a career in law enforcement came out on a chilly Saturday morning at the Teurlings Catholic High School Football Field to take a physical agility test. It was part of the Lafayette Police Department recruiting day.
“It’s an exciting moment for us,” said Sgt. Kristi Strong, Lafayette police recruiter. “I was very excited about this day, and now that I am here with these candidates, I think we are in a good spot.”
Back in May, when Sgt. Strong took on the LPD recruitment process under former Chief Thomas Glover, there were 29 opening positions.
Staffing shortage has been a national issue for police departments across the country.
In Lafayette, hiring has been hampered by a combination of factors that include COVID-19, which slowed down the training process, widespread racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and, according to Lafayette residents and activists, the recent upheaval in the department’s leadership.
LPD has had five leaders — chiefs, interim chiefs, acting interim chiefs — in the two years since Mayor-President Josh Guillory took office, including three just in the past weeks.
But now all those openings have been filled up, Sgt. Strong said. “We are preparing the final paperwork for the last nine openings we had over the past few weeks,” she added. “It is an ongoing situation, but I feel we are doing well.”
