The Public Safety Cadets program is open to young adults, 14-21 years of age, who are interested in a career in law enforcement or another public safety profession. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office provides opportunities for cadets to interact with career professionals and engage in practical vocational experiences.
All youth participants must complete an application and be in good standing within their school and community. Permission from a parent/guardian is also required to join.
This program features career-based learning to provide young adults with the opportunity to explore a career in law enforcement, and/or the opportunity to serve the community in a positive manner. Cadets work toward leadership, integrity, and professionalism. For more information, please contact Sergeant Danny Toups at (985) 532-4327 or email danny-toups@lpso.net.
Training Opportunities
Public Safety Cadets in Unit 323 experience training in a variety of areas including traffic control, building searches, fingerprinting & Child I.D., vehicle stops, firearms safety, first aid & CPR, physical fitness, and community relations, just to name a few. They even receive training in hostage negotiations, crime scene investigations, and defensive tactics as well.
Community Service
Public Safety Cadets provide community service at various events year-round. Our main community service project is the Child I.D. Program. Cadets take fingerprints and DNA swabs from children and give these to child’s guardian. The Child I.D. form is filled out and stored by the guardian. In the event of an emergency, this form acts as a quick reference, assisting law enforcement to activate the Amber Alert System. It also can be useful in making positive identifications of missing children.
Public Safety Cadets also assist with parking at events including fairs and festivals, large sporting events and school dances. They may also ride with full-time deputies during Mardi Gras and Christmas parades.
Awards/Rewards
Public Safety Cadets work toward achieving many different awards. These include awards for community service, emergency preparedness, firearms, physical fitness, law enforcement assistance and training.