Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Corporal Chris Bordelon, a Shreveport police officer, also officiates college football games.
- Bordelon has officiated notable games, including the Stanford-Cal rivalry and Conference USA championship.
- His dual career is supported by Police Chief Wayne Smith, who praises his achievements.
SHREVEPORT, La. — The officers of the Shreveport Police Department have many roles and duties they perform in and around their community. With a force of close to 450, there's bound to be some hidden talents and hobbies that would surprise you.
That's the case with one of the more recognizable figures on the force: Corporal Chris Bordelon, who serves as the department's public information officer.
When he's not talking to the media at a crime scene, doing interviews at police headquarters or serving as the point person for the police department's community events, you may find him on a college football field.
Every weekend during the college football season, Bordelon's in a different city officiating games as a regular Conference USA official. His work as an official has extended throughout the college football world, even to the Hawaii Bowl a couple years ago, the Stanford-Cal rivalry game this past October, his first-ever Power Four matchup, and this season's Conference USA championship game.
Bordelon's love of the game started at Bolton High School in Alexandria. From there, it was off to Tulane for four years, and he was on the team that played every game on the road because of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Now he spends his weekends on the college football fields across America, though he started his officiating career 10 years ago on local high school football fields. Bordelon has a passion to be an inspiration and help the next generation of officials, part of his goals for the future.
His success on the field wouldn't be possible with out the full support of his boss, Police Chief Wayne Smith.
"Some day very soon we're going to be watching a top ranked college football game or we are going to be watching an NFL game and I'm going to be so proud to say, 'I know that guy who's down there officiating on the field,'" said Smith.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a high school football official, especially in Utah, check out your local high school sports organization website. The Utah High School Activities Association's page on becoming an official can be found here.
