When I first arrived in La Center, it had a population of 400 and employed one Police Officer. At that time, there were only a couple of paved roads, the Post Office was still downtown and Elmer Soehl operated the local Market. Timmens Landing was a hotel and restaurant and the card rooms had not yet been built.

Since that time, I have worked hard as your Police Chief to build a strong bond between the police and the citizens in our community. La Center continues to grow and today is approaching a population of 2,500 and a Police Department staff of 15. We continue to work closely with the community. We will do everything within our legal ability to help when we are needed. La Center is a relatively crime-free community with a great traffic safety record. We are serious about traffic control, but contrary to popular belief, issuance of tickets is not a revenue generating activity for us. Being actively involved in traffic enforcement makes La Center safer to walk, drive, work and play in and serves as an excellent crime deterrent. If we can stop the burglars, drug dealers, and other potential offenders on their way into town, it means they won't be getting in to your house, your school, or your business.

We appreciate the continued support the community has given us. We are here to serve you. Please feel free to drop in and visit any time.

Sincerely,

Tim Hopkin
Chief of Police