About the LCPDPolice Department OrganizationPatrol DivisionTraffic DivisionK-9 DivisionPolice ReportsRecruitingCommunity ServicesPress ReleasesAlerts & Messages / Lake Charles, Louisiana

The Lake Charles Police Department is the principal law enforcement agency in Lake Charles. It is responsible for providing police service to an area encompassing approximately 40+ square miles and representing more than 80,000 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.

The year 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 Department hired its first female patrol officers.

Under current Police Chief Shawn Caldwell, 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.

Administration Command Staff

Shawn Caldwell

Chief of Police

Michael Nicosia
Deputy Chief - Operations

Kevin Kirkum

Deputy Chief - Investigations

Dustin Gaudet

Deputy Chief - Support

Kristi Miller
Secretary to the Chief of Police

Division Commanders

Capt. Robert McCauley
Investigations/Identification

Capt. Craig Wright

Patrol/Jail

Capt. Todd Chaddick

Traffic/Training/Community Policing

Lt. Ronnie Fontenot

Assets/Budget

Sgt. Andrew Malveaux
Professional Standards Division

Cpl. Kalon Washington

Planning and Research

Patrol

The Patrol Division of the Lake Charles Police Department is the oldest, largest and most visible unit of the department. The basic mission of the Patrol Division is to protect the lives and property of citizens while maintaining a sense of well-being within the community. The Patrol Division Officers are assigned to a specific area, known as a "beat," and are responsible for attending to citizen needs, hazards, suspicious activity, traffic violations and signs of criminal activity in that area.

Patrol officers are the first to respond to calls for help by citizens; therefore, these officers must be trained in all fields of law enforcement, including basic knowledge in other specialized fields such as identification, investigation, and communications.

The men and women of patrol are trained to respond quickly, assessing and managing all levels of police-related incidents, and are skilled in problem solving techniques to address any neighborhood or business concern.

The Traffic Division is responsible for traffic enforcement and collision investigation for the City of Lake Charles. The Traffic Division investigates all traffic fatalities, follows-up on hit & run accidents and enforces parking violations.

This division also conducts traffic studies and provides escort services for VIPs, parade events and funerals.

K9 Division

One of the many assets in the Department's fight against crime is the Police Canine.

Today's police dog is highly trained and effective in a variety of roles.

The K-9 Division's police dogs are still trained to track criminals, but they can also detect narcotics, find lost children and search crime scenes for evidence such as weapons.

Reports can be picked up at the Lake Charles Police Headquarters building located at 830 Enterprise Blvd. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Reports that are available to print include:

Crash Reports
Initial Incident Reports (Burglary, Theft or Criminal Damage only) - Free to person(s) involved
Event/Call Logs are available ONLY by Public Information Record Request

Click here for Public Information Request Form. Payments accepted: cash, check, or card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover).

For more information about obtaining available CRIMINAL INCIDENT REPORTS, contact the Records Division at 337-491-1456 ext 5927.

OBTAINING A CRASH REPORT

IN PERSON:

Crash reports are released to person(s) involved or his/her insurance company
Must have valid, state issued pictured ID when requesting
Cost is $7.50 per report. Payment is by money order or business check only; made payable to City of Lake Charles

BY MAIL: (Request must include)

Payment
A return addressed and stamped envelope or return email address

Mail requests to: Traffic Records 830 Enterprise Blvd, Lake Charles, LA 70601

Crash Reports are also available online from January 1, 2006, to present. The website to access this service is: LexisNexis Crash Reports

This service will accept all major credit cards or debit cards. Prepaid accounts are also available to insurance companies. There is a 50 cent processing fee.

To begin your search, select Louisiana as the state and Lake Charles Police Department as the Jurisdiction.

YOU MUST THEN HAVE YOUR REPORT NUMBER, OR LAST NAME OF ONE OF THE DRIVER(S), DATE OF REPORT AND STREET NAME THE CRASH OCCURRED ON.

If the crash report you are looking for is not available, contact the Traffic Records Division at 337-491-1456 ext 5913.

THE LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CONTINUOUSLY RECRUITING APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITION OF POLICE OFFICER. Applications are available at the Lake Charles Police Department Central Station, 830 Enterprise Boulevard, Lake Charles, LA 70601

Save the Date: Next Recruiting Event Coming August 2022

For more information, click on one of the following Topics:

Hiring Process

New Recruits

Other Non-Enforcement Career Opportunities

The City of Lake Charles is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Recruiting

The Community Services Division works in partnership with citizens and groups to effectively address the community's concerns and needs. This division's goals include eliminating crime, lessening the fear of crime and providing a greater sense of community power and cohesion. When working with neighborhood associations, merchants, schools and citizens, the Community Services Division acts as an equal partner.

What to do When Stopped by Police

In January 2015, the Lake Charles Police Department held a forum at the Lake Charles Civic Center that allowed the general public to ask any questions, or voice any concerns, they may have with the Lake Charles Police Department. During this session, someone recommended that the police educate the general public on the do’s and don’ts when being stopped by law enforcement.

Sgt. Shawna Aymond, with the Lake Charles Police Department’s Community Policing Division, met with Pam Dixon at Lake Charles-Boston Academy for assistance. The students of the Television Production Department were eager to assist with the project and created a video addressing the subject.

The goal of this informational video is to educate as many local civic groups, students, neighborhood watch groups, pastors, and the general public. This video allows the general public to be well educated on proper etiquette that should be used when stopped by an officer. It also provides tips (i.e., having a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance) readily available to speed up the process. It answers some common questions such as whether or not law enforcement can request an individual to exit their vehicle, as well as being cautious in regard to sudden moves.

The video appears below. Citizens are encouraged to contact the Lake Charles Police Department at (337) 491-1311 with any additional questions or concerns.