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 are 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.
Thanks for the opportunity to serve you. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at (828) 692-9399.
Police Services
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 Hendersonville Police Department.
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
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 , via email or pickup, outlining our performance upon your return home. To request a check, you may come in person, or download the form below. Forms are also available just outside out Town Hall door. You can drop your request at the front desk or in our black drop box outside. This is a free service, and there is no limit to the number of times the service can be utilized. Residential Security Check Form
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 Attorney’s 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.
Laurel Park Police Department Staff
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 and became a full-time officer in 2004. She worked in various capacities while at Hendersonville; she was a Patrolwoman, a School Resource Officer, and a Detective before joining the ranks of the Laurel Park Police Department. She 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 Academy.
Assistant Chief Michael Capps- Chief Capps, a lifelong resident of Henderson County, has been involved in Emergency Services his whole life. Michael started as a Junior Firefighter at the age of 15. He began his law enforcement career in 1996. Since then, he has worked in different capacities and with many agencies, ranging from patrol, K9, Swat, Investigations, narcotics, and undercover work.
Michael joined the Laurel Park Police Department in 2013, as a Reserve Officer. In 2015, he was appointed to his full-time position as Assistant Chief. He holds an Advanced Certificate in Law Enforcement from the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. Additionally, he is a member of the Henderson County Rescue Squad, a member of the NC Mountain Rescue Team 5, and a certified EMT.
Department History
On July 28th, 1966, at a Special Meeting of the Laurel Park Town Council, Seldon Clark was sworn in as the first Chief of the Laurel Park Police Department (LPPD) along with officers Jesse Sain and Shirley Clark. However, this was actually not the beginning of “policing” in Laurel Park. In the very beginning… The first council meeting of the newly incorporated Town of Laurel Park took place on June 20th, 1925, and the newly elected Council, consisting of Mayor Fuller plus Commissioners Wright, Willcooks and Gibbs, was sworn into office. The second meeting of the Council took place nine days later. At this meeting two locals, Avery Jones and Quay Tankersley, were sworn in as “police officers.” These “officers” patrolled the mountain, but they did not have authority to arrest folks for infractions of the law. This remained the responsibility of the Henderson County Sheriff.
Avery Jones protected “his mountain” by patrolling walking trails he carved for himself, all for a weekly salary of $20.00 ($272 in 2016 dollars). He wore a “badge” and carried a cap pistol in a holster and an old .22 Derringer in the pocket of his overalls. Local lore has it that Avery’s patrols up and down the mountain were also used to re-supply his customers with moonshine. Another story told about Avery was the time he used his old derringer to shoot Mayor Fuller’s son who was walking home after an evening of revelry at the then infamous Poplar Lodge (Note: the bullet was so old that it caused little harm!). Avery was replaced and others followed in his footsteps through the next 35+ years. The Town kept this informal patrolling policy in place largely to provide the residents with a measure of security, especially the part-time summer residents who were concerned about the welfare of their property during the off season.
In 1966, at the request of residents and the Laurel Park Civic Association, the Town Council agreed to adopt a more formal policy of law enforcement and voted to authorize the proper establishment of the Laurel Park Police Department with the jurisdictional powers permitted by the State. Seldon Clark was hired as the Chief of Police.
After his retirement in 1974, he was followed by Chief H. M. Staton, Chief H. Tyroff and Chief Donald Fisher. Chief Fisher, who retired in 2012, expanded the force from five members to nine, creating our “24/7” police department. Our current Chief, Bobbie Trotter, became Chief in 2012. Chief Trotter came to the LPPD from the Hendersonville Police Department where she distinguished herself in various capacities as a detective, school resource officer and patrol officer.
LPPD today… The LPPD Officers are responsible for the safety of residents, visitors, businesses and their property. In addition to these duties, they assist surrounding law enforcement and fire departments. The department also sponsors a number of outreach activities designed to communicate with and educate residents on the services they provide through open-house discussions at the Town Hall and Laurel Park HOA meetings. These services include the “house check program” to monitor homes while residents are absent (forms can be filled out at Town Hall or on the Town Website), Aging in Place, Community Watch Neighborhoods, Reassurance Procedures for At-Risk-Residents, and Security Assessments for Residents and Businesses.
Perhaps the single greatest difference between today’s LPPD and the Department of 50 years ago is the required level of officer training and the level of cooperation between the LPPD and other law enforcement agencies. Annually, each officer must attend a series of classes totaling 28 hours of instruction mandated by the State of NC on a variety of topics including firearm proficiency and updates to the laws impacting their duties in law enforcement. Three officers hold State Instructor Certifications allowing the LPPD to hold training locally. In North Carolina, there are three levels of Law Enforcement Certification available from the State: General; Intermediate; and Advanced Certificates. Each level carries a required amount of training hours, years of service, and education. Since 2012, all 14 Laurel Park officers have completed the requirements of a General Certification; two officers meet the requirements of an Intermediate Certification; and four have achieved the Advanced Certification.
Looking toward the future… Chief Trotter and the members of the department will continue to be focused on serving the community and furthering their education and training. The entire department believes in Community Policing, which means that they subscribe to ethical policing. Their viewpoint consists of full-service personalized policing and working in a proactive partnership with citizens to identify and solve problems.
Chief HM Staton
1974-1979
Chief Henry Tyroff
1979 - 1993
Chief Don Fisher
1993 - 2012
Additional Resources
Valley Hill Fire Department vhfd.com
Henderson County Emergency Management hendersoncountync.gov
Henderson County Sheriff’s Office sheriffhendersoncounty.com
NC Wildlife Resources Commission ncwildlife.org
