WELCOME

The mission of the Laurel Park Police Department is to provide services and protection to residents, businesses, and visitors through community policing where the police are responsive to the needs of the community 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Our primary duty and concern is maintaining peace and security throughout the Town. We urge you to become involved in reporting any suspicious incidents, persons, or vehicles. Timely reporting is a great aid in solving crime and keeping our Town safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at (828) 692-9399. Thanks for the opportunity to serve you.

POLICE SERVICES

The Laurel Park Police Department provides an array of public safety services. A brief synopsis of these is covered below.

• Crime Prevention: The Department works closely with the community to help prevent crime through education of crime risks and institution of action to reduce or remove the risk.
• Criminal Investigation: The Department investigates all crimes occurring within the Town limits. From time to time the Department may enlist the help of outside agencies such as the SBI or FBI.
• Patrol: This is the main function of the Department. An effective patrol results in the protection of life and property, safe movement of vehicular traffic, crime deterrence, and maintenance of public order. Patrol officers are responsible for answering all initial calls for service and completing the necessary follow up. Officers are on duty 24/7.
• Communications: The Police Department is dispatched by the communications center at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office. This same center is also the 911 call center.
• Support Services: The Department provides all necessary reports, records, property, and evidence as required for prosecution in court. All documentation needed for uniform crime reporting is also kept.
• Security/Residence Checks: As a function of patrol, these types of checks are performed on a daily basis. Residents that are absent for extended periods of time may request a check of their property. These checks are performed daily. A log is kept and returned to the resident outlining our performance upon your return home. To request a check, you may call, come in person, or download a form. This is a free service, and there is no limit to the number of times the service can be utilized. (Printable Form)
• Other Agencies: The Police Department maintains a working relationship with numerous agencies in the criminal justice system. A list of the prominent relationships includes the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, Hendersonville Police Department, State Bureau of Investigation, State Highway Patrol, and the District Attorneys Office.
• Emergency Management: The Police Department is able to handle all types of natural, weather, and man-made disasters. The Police Department handles evacuations as needed as well as any other type of disaster response. The Chief of Police serves as the Town Coordinator for emergency management.

PERSONNEL

The Town presently has 12 police officers. Of this number, 7 are full-time officers, and 5 are part-time (reserve) officers.

Chief Bobbie K. Trotter - Chief Trotter has been involved in law enforcement in Henderson County since 2003. Bobbie started as a Reserve Officer at the Hendersonville Police Department. She continued working at the Hendersonville Police Department and became a full-time officer in 2004. Bobbie worked in various capacities while at Hendersonville; she was a Patrolman, a School Resource Officer, and a Detective before joining the ranks of the Laurel Park Police Department. Bobbie was appointed to Chief of Police in Laurel Park in January of 2012. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Mars Hill College in Political Science with a concentration in Criminal Justice. Bobbie holds an Advanced Certificate in Law Enforcement from the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission.

Lieutenant Gray Mullen

Sergeant Van Whitmire

Officer Kevin Swanson

Officer Bilsen Prezas

Officer Chris White

Reserve Officer Eric Chapell

Reserve Officer Phillip Whitaker

Reserve Officer Alan Bonanno

Reserve Officer Mark Melton

Reserve Officer Mike Bustle

LINKS

Henderson County Sheriff's Office
www.hendersoncountync.org

North Carolina Court System
www.nccourts.org

North Carolina Department of Justice
www.ncdoj.org

North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police
www.ncpolicechief.org