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# A crowded beat
- URL: https://www.redeyebr.com/a-crowded-beat/
- Published: 2026-08-13T01:21:13.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-13T01:21:13.000Z
- Author: JR Ball

**A crowded beat**

East Baton Rouge Parish is patrolled by **11** different law enforcement agencies.

**Why it matters:** Between five incorporated cities, three university campuses and a scattering of special-purpose authorities, EBR residents can cross a jurisdictional line just walking down the street—each one policed by a different badge.

**By the numbers:**

- **BRPD, EBRSO, Zachary PD, Baker PD** and Louisiana State Police Troop A cover the parish's general geography.
- **LSU PD, Southern PD** and **Baton Rouge Community College PD** each operate independent forces on their respective campuses.
- Round it out with the **Baton Rouge Metro Airport Police**, the **Baton Rouge City Constable's Office**, and **DPS Police**, which guard the State Capitol Complex.

**The asterisk:** Two more cities—Central and St. George—have police chiefs, as state law requires, but no real patrol force behind them.

- Both lean on EBRSO to actually answer calls.
- [Central pays a negotiated fee for it](https://unfilteredwithkiran.com/central-city-council-votes-to-continue-splitting-law-enforcement-duties-between-police-and-sheriffs-office/?ref=redeyebr.com); St. George's founding ordinance suggests it doesn't, betting instead that the parishwide millages residents already pay cover it.
- St. George is creating a ["volunteer" force](https://www.theadvocate.com/baton%5Frouge/news/st-george-reserve-police-officers/article%5F34aae3fd-f4fb-4101-931d-44bca75e20ca.html?utm%5Fsource=email&utm%5Fcampaign=wakeupbr&utm%5Fmedium=newsletter&utm%5Fcontent=headline#uid=729a73f411c79d2e40ef485b842e74c4) to handle some administrative tasks and minor traffic accidents, but no citizen's arrests. *(Sorry, Gomer.)*

**Common theme:** The parishes home to New Orleans and Lafayette also carry double-digit police forces.

- **Orleans Parish** has **15**, a number inflated by **8** university and college police departments. Other notables include police forces for public housing, levees, the port and City Park.
- **Lafayette Parish** has **9**, driven mostly by **6** separate municipal departments spread across its patchwork of small cities.

**The bottom line:** Thirteen badges in EBR, one parish—and only 11 of them actually patrol.