In Louisiana, the sheriff's office is the oldest law enforcement agency in the history of the state. The office of sheriff dates back to 1805 when Louisiana was still a territory and legislative council members made provisions for sheriffs to protect the people in each of the 12 original parishes. In 1812, when Louisiana was made a state, the Louisiana Constitution followed suit, and the office has been a part of Louisiana's history ever since.
| Name |
Date of Oath |
| John Neilson |
(prior to) April 2, 1811 |
| Thomas Lilly |
July 14, 1813 |
| Philemon Thomas |
May 5, 1815 |
| Ferdinand L. Ameling |
January 30, 1819 |
| John C. Buhler |
August 9, 1821 |
| Augustin Duplantier |
March 20, 1837 |
| Henry Waller Fowler |
March 2, 1841 |
| Leroy C. Morris |
February 11, 1845 |
| Henry V. Babin |
November 14, 1851 |
| Francis A. Provest |
April 23, 1864 |
| Edward Cousinard |
May 11, 1864 |
| Thompson J. Bird |
May 18, 1966 |
| Thomas W. Hurst |
November 26, 1870 |
| G Leblanc |
December 18, 1872 |
| O.H. Foreman |
March 10, 1876 |
| W. L. Booth |
January 11,1877 |
| J.W. Bates |
December 8, 1878 |
| J.H. Slaughter |
May 22, 1888 |
| Joseph T. Young |
June 5, 1896 |
| Nolan Stewart Dougherty |
June 1, 1904 |
| W.G. Randolph |
June 1, 1908 |
| J.A.M. Randolph |
January 19, 1912 |
| T.H. Womack |
May 30, 1912 |
| Robert B. Day |
June 1, 1916 |
| Mrs. Eudora Slaughter Day |
March 31, 1924 |
| Thomas Edward McHugh |
June 1, 1928 |
| Robert Lee Petit |
June 1, 1932 |
| Newman Henry deBretton |
May 1, 1936 |
| Frank D. Trimble |
April 1, 1948 |
| Bryan Clemmons |
July 1, 1948 |
| J. Al Amiss |
July 1, 1972 |
| Fred Sliman, Jr. |
February 9, 1983 |
| Elmer B. Litchfield |
December 1, 1983 |
| Greg Phares |
December 1, 2006 |