PJAL Manual 11th Edition A compilation of the laws concerning the authority and responsibility of parish Governing Authorities updated through the Regular Legislative Session of 2019 Police Jury Association of Louisiana Page | i Preface The Police Jury Manual is designed as a ready reference to the general Constitutional and statutory provisions on the powers, duties and responsibilities of police jurors/parish government officials. Its purpose is to bring together in a single volume legal provisions that are widely scattered throughout the Constitution and statutes. Every effort has been made to accurately summarize the general laws governing police juries/parish governments. The manual, however, is not to be used as a legal text or for the purpose of legal opinions. The state Constitution, the statutes and court decisions are the final authorities governing police jury/parish governing authority operations. Each reference in the manual includes the legal citation necessary to assist the reader in locating the precise wording of the law or the more detailed and technical provisions that may have been omitted. Legal provisions pertaining to police jury/parish governing authority powers in certain areas, such as taxing and borrowing authority, are numerous, complex and sometimes archaic, contradictory and vague. For this reason, it is very important that police juries/parish governments consult their legal advisors in all cases in which a question of law or legal interpretation is involved. The Police Jury Manual was first prepared and published in 1960 by the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR) at the request of the Police Jury Association of Louisiana. This completely revised and updated eleventh edition was revised by the Police Jury Association staff. - The manual is intended primarily for use by the police juror in a parish operating under the general laws of the state or to home rule charter parishes or other local governments. However, this broader application is not necessarily indicated in the manual. Likewise, an effort has been made to include only laws generally applicable to all or most police juries, or parish governments. Special laws covering only one or relatively few parishes have generally been omitted. Also, in most cases where certain police jury parishes are excluded from the application of a law, the exception has been noted but without identifying the parishes. Each legislative session produces dozens of changes in the laws affecting police juries. This eleventh edition of the manual has been updated to include changes enacted through the Regular Session of 2019. Louisiana Attorney General Opinions are released on a weekly basis and can be found at https://www.ag.state.la.us/Opinions. Opinions can be found using their search feature on their website such as by subject, parish, position, etc. While the objective in preparing this manual was to include all the significant legal provisions pertaining to police juries, it is possible that some were missed. If readers notice any omissions or needed corrections, please notify the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, Inc. 707 North 7th Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802-5327 (225) 343-2835 (local) (225) 336-1344 (2nd Floor Fax) [email protected] www.lpgov.org Police Jury Association of Louisiana Page | ii Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION .......................................................................................................1 THE POLICE JUROR ......................................................................................................................................1 Qualifications ..............................................................................................................................................1 Oath of Office ..............................................................................................................................................1 Compensation............................................................................................................................................ 2 Removal from Office .................................................................................................................................. 3 THE POLICE JURY ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Election of Police Jurors .............................................................................................................................. 3 Composition and Term............................................................................................................................... 3 Districts ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 Reapportionment/Redistricting ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Vacancies .................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Continuity in Office ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Meetings and Officers ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Open Meetings .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Regulations for Police Jury .................................................................................................................................................. 8 Parish Secretary ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Parish Treasurer ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Parish Manager ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Legal Services ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Offices and Sub-offices .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Change of Parish Seats ............................................................................................................................. 10 Officers and Employees ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Public Officers .......................................................................................................................................... 10 Dual Officeholding ................................................................................................................................... 11 Code of Ethics ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Enforcement ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Malfeasance in Office ............................................................................................................................... 15 Personal Obligation and Liability .............................................................................................................. 15 Police Jury Association of Louisiana Page | iii Civil Service .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Retirement ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Payroll Deductions ................................................................................................................................... 16 Insurance ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Suits Against the Parish ............................................................................................................................ 17 Payment of Judgments ............................................................................................................................. 17 RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS .................................................................................................................... 17 Public Records .......................................................................................................................................... 17