About the LCPD

The Lake Charles Police Department is the principle law enforcement agency in Lake Charles. It is responsible for providing police service to an area encompassing approximately 40 square miles and representing 75,000 residents. The department is sub-divided into over a dozen divisions. The chief of police oversees all operations of the LCPD.
 
LCPD History
 
On July 25, 1868, eight days after the newly incorporated town of Lake Charles held its first municipal elections, Pat Fitzgerald was sworn in as the town Constable. As the town blacksmith and a Civil War Veteran, Fitzgerald was well qualified to manhandle outlaws. As the only law officer in the small community of 700, Constable Fitzgerald had to enforce all of the town's ordinances without a jail to incarcerate violators. Then, on May 11, 1874, the town council organized the Lake Charles Police Department with Fitzgerald serving as "chief" and overseeing seven "captains on patrol."

During the late 1800s and early 1900s the police officers were focused on enforcing "morality" laws such as public drunkenness, gambling, and prostitution. Officers also assumed the role of traffic controller as the popularity of the automobile increased.

1945 marked the construction of the first dedicated Lake Charles Police Station with a jail, built on the corner of Kirby and Pithon streets. J. Harry Hebert, the Police Chief at the time, established the detective division in 1947 and future State Representative Mike Hogan became the first plain-clothes detective.

In December of 1974, the Lake Charles Police Department relocated to its current headquarters on Enterprise Boulevard, after relocating several times over the years. A year later, the Lake Charles Police Dept. hired its first female patrol officers.

Under current Police Chief Don Dixon, the Lake Charles Police Department has continued to make outstanding achievements. In November 2000, the Lake Charles Police Department became an accredited law enforcement agency, allowing them to join an elite international group who are similarly recognized for their professional excellence. The Lake Charles Police Department continues to be dedicated to fostering community partnerships, strengthening peace of mind, and striving to prevent crime and disorder in the City of Lake Charles.