Sheriff’s Office

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FOR EMERGENCIES

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About Your Sheriff's Department

With our values of integrity, teamwork, and excellence as our guide, we are dedicated to protecting those who live work or visit the City of La Center.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services to our community.  

  • Mon-Fri / 8 am to 5 pm
  • 360-263-2745

Mission Statement

With our values of Integrity, Teamwork and Excellence as our guide, we are dedicated to:

  • Safeguarding and protecting those who live, work, visit and commute in La Center, by providing a professional, proactive level of law enforcement service.
  • Upholding the highest standard of performance, behavior and ethics through our conduct, appearance and demeanor.
  • Seeking effective solutions to issues through a partnership with the community.
  • Accepting future challenges by learning and developing new skills and techniques to provide the highest quality of service.

Our Values

Integrity

We will exhibit an unwavering commitment to Honesty, Accountability, Trust, Loyalty and Ethical Behavior.

Teamwork

We will work together, displaying and promoting the characteristics of Respect, Communication, Cooperation, Reliability, Openness and Flexibility to more effectively accomplish our mission.

Excellence

We will provide the highest levels of Professionalism, Dedication, Responsiveness and Impartiality in the performance of our duties, with the attitude that all tasks will receive our best effort.

Contact our Team

Commander Todd Barsness

General Inquiries: Clark County Sheriff’s Office, La Center Precinct

Historical Highlights

Our history

1874

The town of La Center was established

1889

A Territorial Judge ruled over the area

September 2, 1909

W.P. Wampler was appointed the first Marshal & the committee who appointed Wampler discussed selecting a site for a jail.

1909

Joseph Brothers was Judge

1913

A.J. Culbertson was Justice of the Peace

1914

E.L. Hughes was Police Judge

1919

H.E. Basham kept the peace

1924

George Haskins, who owned the local Garage, was appointed Marshal

1925

E.L. Mitchell was Police Judge

1925

G.M. Zeider was Police Judge

1925

W.H. McCann was Police Judge

1929

W.M. McCann was Justice of the Peace

1932

W.M. McCann was Police Judge

1960's

For 9 years in the 1960's, John Gary served as Municipal Judge

October 31, 1971

Paul Jackson became La Center's Marshal, and served until 1981

1979

Lori Benfit-Neff was hired as a police officer. She eventually became La Center's Town Marshal

1986

Tim Hopkin was hired as a police officer, who became Police Chief in 1996 and served until 2012

2013

Marc Denney was hired as Police Chief

2021

Bob Richardson was hired as Interim Administrative Police Chief

2024

Commander Phil Sample from CCSO takes over as Police Chief