Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:2403

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Peace officer: means any employee of the state, a municipality, a sheriff, or other public agency, whose permanent duties actually include the making of arrests, the performing of searches and seizures, or the execution of criminal warrants, and is responsible for the prevention or detection of crime or for the enforcement of the penal, traffic, or highway laws of this state, but not including any elected or appointed head of a law enforcement department. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:2402
  • person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

A.  The Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training, hereinafter referred to as the council, shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice within the office of the governor.

B.(1)  The council shall consist of the attorney general and eleven members of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice, as follows:

(a)  Three sheriffs, appointed by the governor.

(b)  Three police chiefs, appointed by the governor.

(c)  Two district attorneys, appointed by the governor.

(d)  The executive director of the commission on law enforcement.

(e)  The superintendent of state police.

(f)  The president/director of the Louisiana Chapter of the National Constables Association.

(2)  Each appointive member shall serve a term concurrent with that of the governor making the appointment.  Each appointment by the governor shall be submitted to the Senate for confirmation.

(3)  Every person who holds council membership by virtue of his official position or employment shall cease to be a member when he no longer holds the position which qualified him for membership on the council.  Vacancies, whether created by death, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment and for the unexpired term of the predecessor of the appointee.

(4)  Members of the council who hold positions of public employment or trust shall perform such council duties without being in violation of La. Rev. Stat. 42:63 or La. Rev. Stat. 42:64 or any other statute prohibiting dual office holding.

C.  The council shall elect a chairman, vice chairman, and secretary from among its membership.  The quorum shall be determined by the bylaws of the council.  The executive director of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement shall summon the council to its first meeting.

D.  Members of the council shall not receive compensation for their services, but may receive reimbursement from their own respective departmental funds for expenses incurred in the performance of the functions of the council.

E.  The council shall hold meetings at such times and places in the state of Louisiana as it deems proper.  The meetings shall be called by the chairman upon his own motion or upon the written request of eight members.  The position of any member who fails to attend four consecutive meetings shall be deemed to be vacant.

F.  No funds are hereby budgeted for the commission.

G.  Administrative and staff support for the council shall be furnished by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, through plans developed by the Office of Peace Officer Standards and Training.

H.(1)  The council may establish and implement curricula and publish training materials to train peace officers to identify, respond to, and report all crimes which are directed against individuals or groups, or their property, by reason of their actual or perceived race, age, gender, religion, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry.

(2)(a)  The council shall include a training program on the crime of identity theft as defined under La. Rev. Stat. 14:67.16 in any curriculum requirements for the training of peace officers by January 1, 2004.

(b)  The provisions of this Paragraph shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are made available for such purpose.

Amended by Acts 1991, No. 509, §2; Acts 1997, No. 1479, §3, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 2003, No. 844, §2; Acts 2010, No. 898, §2.