Shreveport police report modest officer increase in 2024; eight officers to graduate Friday, target of 450 by year-end

Chief White, Shreveport Police Department, told the Public Safety Committee on April 21 that the department finished 2023 with 432 sworn officers and finished 2024 with 438.

"At the end of 2023, we finished the year with 432 officers. In 2024, we finished the year with 438," Chief White said. He also said eight new officers are scheduled to graduate this Friday; the ceremony is expected to start at 10:00 at Broadmoor Baptist Church.

Chief White told the committee the department has two full-time recruiters working statewide and that staffing remains affected by attrition. He said the department's recruitment goal is to be "close to the, you know, maybe 450 mark at the end of the year." The chair asked whether 450 is a goal for the end of 2025; Chief White replied, "That is correct."

Committee members discussed academy timing and completion rates. Staff said the next academy class is planned for late July or early August and the department hopes to start that class with 15 recruits or more. Chiefs noted typical completion rates of 60 to 70 percent. The committee heard that the most recent local academy began with 14 recruits, and eight passed the post exam last week; eight of those are Shreveport Police Department recruits.

The Citizens Police Academy was described as ongoing with about 20 participants; staff said some past participants are repeating the class as a refresher. The committee also discussed the auxiliary officer program: staff said the auxiliary course runs about 10 weeks, auxiliary officers volunteer roughly eight hours per month, and auxiliaries assist with events and traffic duties but are not to physically engage suspects. Staff said auxiliaries recently aided in locating a serious offender by acting as "eyes and ears," holding a suspect until officers arrived.

No formal staffing policy changes or budget votes were taken at the April 21 committee meeting.