SHREVEPORT, La. — SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A north Louisiana sheriff's office is lowering the age requirement aimed at increasing the department's ranks.
Now individuals ages 18 and older can apply to join the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office, Sheriff Steve Prator said Wednesday.
“If you can join the military and fight a war, you can serve in your own community,” said Prator.
Previously, applicants had to be at least 21 years old to apply to become a P.O.S.T. certified or corrections deputy. The sheriff’s office implemented changes to its hiring requirements to reach a wider pool of potential applicants.
The change in age requirement also comes in response to a staff shortage that is plaguing law enforcement agencies nationwide, The Times of Shreveport reported.
Prator said, “Right now we are hurting, we are in survival mode. We need people to come work for us.”
The sheriff’s office is currently looking for 93 new employees. The vacant positions are for deputies, nurses, mechanics and other fields.
“We are short,” Prator said. “Anything you could imagine to run a small city, which is what we run at CCC.”
In addition to lowering the hiring age, the sheriff’s office has also streamlined its application process making it easier for applicants to join the team. Current or prior military, college graduates and current P.O.S.T. certified law enforcement are exempt from taking the entrance exam.
“If you are hardworking and in search of a meaningful career with great benefits and unlimited possibilities, I encourage you to submit an application,” Prator said.
To apply or learn more about working at the sheriff's office, visit caddosheriff.org or call 318-681-0812.
