Senate committee advances bill creating 'auxiliary officers' and tactical medical professionals amid training, liability debate

The Louisiana Senate Judiciary B Committee on Tuesday reported Senate Bill 192 as amended, which would create a tactical medical professional classification and a new category of auxiliary officers with limited duties and reduced training requirements.

Senator Seba, chairman, said the measure creates a tactical medical professional who can “travel with the SWAT team or with the other officers” to provide on-scene medical care, and a second category of auxiliary officers with a lowered training requirement “instead of the 496 hours at a hundred and 20 hours.”

The bill’s author and several supporters said the measure responds to staffing shortages in rural sheriff’s offices. The amended language lists permitted duties for auxiliary officers — funeral processions, athletic contests, sporting events, parades and similar activities — and bars them from making arrests, issuing citations, or conducting searches or seizures except under the direct supervision of a POST-certified officer.

Senator DuPlessis expressed concern that reduced training could blur lines in moments of crisis, saying there is a risk that “in the heat of the moment…this person who’s now an auxiliary officer…they’re not going to be limited” and might react in ways an agency did not intend. He noted public expectations when a person in uniform intervenes.

Kevin Cobb of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association told the committee the association worked with sheriffs and the state Commission on Law Enforcement (POST) and argued smaller parishes need a pathway for volunteers. “At this time, the sheriffs throughout the state do have a real need for additional assistance,” Cobb said, emphasizing the proposal is meant to avoid equipping volunteers with full patrol authority.

Bruce Riley, speaking in opposition, urged stricter limits on the scope of supervision and visible distinctions for auxiliary personnel. He warned the “under supervision” standard could permit one POST-certified supervisor to oversee many auxiliary personnel at a large event while being geographically distant, creating accountability and safety questions.

Committee members adopted amendment set 16-18, which reduced the training requirement to 120 hours and spelled out allowed duties and supervision language. Senator Talbot moved to report the bill as amended; there was no objection and the committee voted to report SB192 favorably.

Supporters said the bill is voluntary for agencies and intended to give sheriffs a mechanism to use trained volunteers for low-risk duties while preserving full training for sworn officers. Opponents and some committee members asked for further language clarifying supervision, liability protections, and operational limits before the bill proceeds to the floor.

The measure also includes language creating the tactical medical professional classification, modeled in part after laws in other states, to allow licensed medical personnel to accompany tactical teams to render care without taking on general law enforcement responsibilities.

The committee recorded the motion to report SB192 as amended without objection; the measure now moves to the Senate calendar.