Employment Opportunities

Hiring Process

The Ruston Police Department has a continual need for people who are interested in making a career in law enforcement. Applicants for the position of Police Officer must first meet the following minimum requirements in order to qualify for admission to the civil service examination:

Must be at United States Citizen

Must be at least 21 years of age.

Must have graduated from a high school or possess a certified equivalent to a high school diploma issued by a State Department of Education.

The civil service examination is administered by the Louisiana Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Commission. A passing score of 75% or above is required before the applicant may continue with the application process. Test scores are valid for 18 months following the test, and test scores are transferable within the state.

Click here to download an application

Click here to download a study guide
for the Police Officer Examination

The application study guide can be viewed and printed
using Adobe's Acrobat Reader.

Click here to for free!

Applications can also be picked up at the
Ruston Police Department, or by contacting the
Office of State Examiner for Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service

Applicants who successfully pass the civil service examination then undergo extensive personal, educational, employment and criminal background checks by the department. Applicants must also successfully complete the following:

Physical fitness testing

Psychological testing

Polygraph examination

Applicants must then go before an oral interview board which is comprised of selected members of the department. After completion of the interview process with the pool of applicants, the review board submits its recommendations to the Chief of Police.

Employee Benefits

Salary - The starting salary for an entry level police officer for the City of Ruston is currently $30,000 per year. After one year of service, the officer's salary will increase to at least $35,100 when they begin receiving State Supplemental Pay. The Communication Officer starting salary is $28,000. Communication Officers do not receive State Supplemental Pay, but salary adjustments will occur with a City Council approved cost of living increase each year.

Employee Health and Dental Insurance - The City of Ruston provides health insurance coverage to all full time employees of the City, including the police department. In addition to normal medical coverage, the coverage provided by the city also includes dental and vision care. Coverage is provided for all employees, and is optional for their spouses, children and dependants. The city currently pays 75% of the monthly health insurance premium, while the employee picks up the remaining 25%.

Retirement - Officers of the Ruston Police Department are members of the Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana. Officers accrue retirement at the rate of 3.33% per year of service and are eligible for regular retirement in this system based on the following:
25 years or more service, at any age;
20 years or more service, at age 50 or thereafter;
12 years or more service, at age 55 or thereafter.

Paid holidays - Officers of the Ruston Police Department enjoy the benefits of ten (10) paid holidays annually. These holidays include New Years, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (2 days), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Vacation - Full time employees of the Ruston Police Department accrue vacation time at a rate of 120 vacation hours annually. At the completion of 10 years of service, vacation time increases to 168 vacation hours annually, and after 20 years of service, the rate increases to 224 vacation hours annually. Currently, any earned vacation time can be carried to the next year, with no limit to the amount of vacation time that an officer can carry over.

Persons interested in applying for employment with the Ruston Police Department may do so by obtaining an application for the civil service examination. Applications may be downloaded and printed or picked up at:

Ruston Police Department
401 North Trenton Street
Ruston, Louisiana

Applications are also available by mail. To have an application mailed to you, or to submit a completed application, contact:

Mrs. Deborah Hightower
Secretary
Ruston Fire and Police Civil Service Board
P. O. Box 2069
Ruston, LA 71273
318-251-8663

or you can contact us by e-mail

Deborah Hightower, Secretary

or
Captain Jim Hilton, Assistant Chief

The Ruston Police Department is an equal opportunity employer.

To continue your tour of the Ruston Police Department,
either click the "BACK" button on your browser or
follow one of the links below...

Here are the different divisions of the Ruston Police Department.	Here are some of the different projects and programs that are currently in operation.
Communications Division... Uniform Patrol Division... Criminal Investigations Division... SWAT... K-9's... Juvenile Division... Narcotics Division... Forgery... Bicycle Patrol...	Neighborhood Watch... DWI Enforcement Program... Reserve Police Officer Program... Crimestoppers... Personal Safety Tips from McGruff... Law Enforcement Technology...

The Ruston Police Department Web Pages were created and maintained by Captain Jim Hilton.
No part of these pages may be copied or otherwise reproduced in any manner without permission.