Community Policing

A Better, Safer Way to Conduct Your Online, In-Person Transactions

In a proactive effort to safeguard our citizens, the La Plata Police Department is welcoming the public to the police department to close their online transactions in a safer way. The public can take advantage of the department's lobby or parking lot to meet and handle their online transactions. In addition, La Plata Police officers will be available to stand by to increase both a buyer's and seller's sense of security. Along with our commitment to the personal safety of both the buyer and seller, the La Plata Police Department is also committed to ensuring the transactions are free of stolen merchandise. With this La Plata police officers will be available to check serial numbers against the State of Maryland and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database to ensure every item is clear and not wanted or stolen. 

Contact the La Plata Police Department & Set Up Your Meeting

Please contact our front office, 301-934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday to schedule your transaction. La Plata officers are also available after hours: please contact the Charles County Communication Center at 301-932-2222. An officer will be dispatched to the station.

The La Plata Police Department wants you to have an enjoyable and worry-free vacation. Whether you're planning a trip to beach, the mountains, or attending a business conference in Vegas, the La Plata Police Department will conduct a daily house check while you are out of town. If something looks out of place, the officer will contact you by email or cell phone. To schedule a vacation check, please contact our front office, 301-934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

The La Plata Police Department performs child safety seat inspections to help ensure that seats are being used correctly. These inspections are done by appointment only. We recommend that the primary caregiver of the child be present. Appointments may take up to 90 minutes, depending on the number of car seats being used. The inspector will provide guidance on the proper ways to transport the child and the correct way to install the car seat.

On the day of your appointment, please bring: 

• Car seat 
• Car seat manual 
• Vehicle manual 
• Vehicle registration 
• The vehicle in which the child will regularly be transported

To schedule a safety seat inspection, please contact our front office, 301934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Throughout the course of the year, the La Plata Police Department receives dozens of complaints about speeders, mostly in neighborhoods. In an effort to make La Plata's roadways safer, the Department has a RADAR trailer, with a second unit being purchased in the summer of 2016, to set up in neighborhoods throughout the Town. To request the RADAR trailer for your neighborhood, please call our front office at 301934-1500.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED (pronounced sep-ted), is a crime prevention philosophy based on the theory that proper design and effective use of the building environment can lead to a reduction in the fear and incidence of crime, as well as an improvement in the quality of life. The La Plata Police Department provides a free home security survey for our residents. We will come to your home and provide recommendations on security improvements that may reduce the chances of becoming the victim of a burglary. To schedule a home security survey, please contact our front office, 301-934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

The La Plata Police Department offers to the business community the service of a trained crime prevention specialist who will come to your business and perform a security survey. The officer will give pointers on proper lighting, locks, and landscaping. The officer can also come to your business and talk to your employees about robbery prevention and how to respond in the event of a robbery along with other topics that are applicable to your business. To schedule a business security check, please contact our front office, 301-934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

The La Plata Police Department Ride-Along Program is designed to help educate the community about what the police department does daily, and to help residents become familiar with the officers and the department. The program is intended to develop partnerships with the community through interaction. The Ride-Along Program is designed to foster a better understanding of the challenges, hazards and rewards of being a police officer in the La Plata community. To obtain the rules and regulations of the Ride Along Program and to schedule your ride along, please contact our front office, 301-934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Coffee with a Command Staff / Cop

Have you ever wanted to ask the police chief a question, but didn't know how to go about doing it? The Chief along with members of Command Staff will be available to answer questions from members of the community throughout the year at different locations throughout La Plata. "Coffee with Command Staff" is a unique way to strengthen the partnership between the police department and the community it serves. An open dialogue breaks down barriers in establishing a true partnership between the police department and the community.

Would you like to have a police officer attend your homeowner association block party or other community event and serve snow cones? The Department's snow cone initiative is designed to promote community interaction and foster trust between police officers and the community we service. To schedule an officer and snow cone machine, please contact our front office, 301-934-1500, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.