Lt. Colonel Joseph “Jody” Hasselbeck, III, began his career with the Louisiana State Police in 1995 as a Trooper at Troop B in New Orleans and has worked operational, tactical, investigative, and training assignments throughout the Department. Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck currently serves as Deputy Superintendent over the Patrol Division and leads all uniformed State Police operations. In this capacity, he is responsible for nine State Police Troops, the Department’s Transportation and Environmental Safety Section, the Emergency Services Unit, the Emergency Operation Center, Crisis Response Operations, statewide Communications, DPS Police Mobile Scale Operations, the Air Support Unit, the Criminal Patrols Unit, Motors, SWAT, the Mobile Field Force Unit, and the Canine Program.
During his career, he served nineteen years in Patrol in various capacities such as Criminal Patrol Unit, Troop N Executive Officer, SWAT Commander, Emergency Services Unit Training and Grants Coordinator, and the Commander of the Crisis Response section. Additionally, Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck served eight years in the State Police Bureau of Investigations as a sergeant in the Narcotics Unit. In June 2022, Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck was appointed by Colonel Lamar Davis to serve as the Deputy Superintendent over the Patrol Division. In January of 2024, LTC Hasselbeck was re-appointed to the Deputy Superintendent of Patrol by Colonel Hodges.
As a SWAT operator for twenty-two years, and a P.O.S.T. certified firearms instructor, Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck has taught S.W.A.T. / Tactical operations on the local, state, national, and international levels. For five years, Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck was a contract instructor for the U.S. Department of State’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and has been an adjunct instructor for the Louisiana State Police Training Academy since 1998. Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck has held various instructor certifications and has conducted numerous classes and presentations on law enforcement subjects such as Defensive Tactics, Operational and Executive Leadership Development, TASER, Firearms Instructor, SWAT Instructor, Range Master, Officer Survival, Undercover Operations, and Law Enforcement Ethics.
Lt. Colonel Hasselbeck graduated summa cum laude from Upper Iowa University with a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration and a minor in Energy Management. He has received numerous commendations and awards, including the Professional Excellence Award, the Meritorious Service Award, the Unit Citation Award, the Emergency Services Medal, and the VFW Trooper of the Year. He has more than 32 years of law enforcement experience, having previously served as a New Orleans Harbor Police Officer. Additionally, he is a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
Louisiana currently has ten State Police Troops, each of which is comprised of a collection of Louisiana's 64 parishes (similar to counties, but unique to Louisiana). These troops are organized into four regions, with each region commanded by a State Police Major. Each troop is led by a State Police Captain.