§2402. Definitions

[Effective Date: Text of intro para effective until January 1, 2027.]

           As used in this Chapter:

[Effective Date: Text of intro para effective on January 1, 2027.]

           As used in this Chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

           (1) "Governmental entity" means any board, authority, commission, department, office, division, or agency of the state or any of its local political subdivisions.

           (2) "Law enforcement training course" means a basic or advanced course of study certified by the council on peace officer standards and training, for the purpose of educating and training persons in the skills and techniques required of a peace officer in the discharge of his duties.

           (3)(a)(i) "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.

           (ii) "Peace officer" shall also include those sheriff's deputies whose duties include the care, custody, and control of inmates.

           (iii) "Peace officer" shall also include military police officers within the Military Department, state of Louisiana.

           (iv) "Peace officer" shall also include security personnel employed by the Supreme Court of the state of Louisiana.

           (v) "Peace officer" shall also include security personnel employed by a court of appeal of the state of Louisiana.

           (vi) "Peace officer" shall also include the director of capitol security and security officers employed by the legislature upon recommendation of the director as provided by R.S. 24:681 et seq.

[Effective Date: Text of Subitem (vii) effective on January 1, 2027.]

           (vii) "Peace officer" shall also include any deputy marshal of a city or ward marshal as provided in R.S. 13:1881.

           (b) A peace officer as described in Items (a)(i), (ii), (iv), (v), and (vi) of this Paragraph shall be a United States citizen as defined in this Section.

           (4) "Training center" means any school, academy, institute, or any place of learning whatsoever, which offers or conducts a law enforcement training course.

           (5) "United States citizen" means any individual who is a citizen of the United States either by law, birth, or naturalization.

           Added by Acts 1976, No. 397, §1. Amended by Acts 1979, No. 489, §1; Acts 1984, No. 493, §1; Acts 2001, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 8, §2, eff. October 16, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 817, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2009, No. 97, §1, eff. August 15, 2009; Acts 2017, No. 272, §2, eff. June 16, 2017; Acts 2019, No. 294, §1, eff. August 1, 2019; Acts 2022, No. 507, §2, eff. June 16, 2022; Acts 2026, No. 283, §1, eff. August 1, 2026; Acts 2026, No. 866, §2, eff. January 1, 2027.