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ANONYMOUS CRIME TIP HOTLINE (803) 289-6040

The Lancaster Police Department is located in the Municipal Justice Center (click for picture).  Click on any picture on this page for a larger view.  To view more pictures use the drop down box.

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EMERGENCY
911

Communications / Patrol Division / Watch Commander
(803) 283-1171

Chief of Police
(803) 283-1173

Patrol Division Commander(803) 283-1177

Special Operations Division Commander
(803) 285-1187

Administrative Division Commander
(803) 283-1176

Training/Safety Officer
(803) 283-1140

Professional Standards

(803) 285-1140

Detective Division
(803) 283-1174

Records Division
(803) 283-1175

Victim's Assistance
(803) 289-6351

FAX
(803) 286-4632

©2005 -2012. This site was last updated on January 18, 2012.  All pictures displayed on this website are owned by the Lancaster Police Department, and are not to be redistributed without prior consent.  Thank you for visiting our site and for your interest in the Lancaster Police Department.

On behalf of Chief Harlean Howard, her staff, and the members of the Lancaster (lang-kuh-ster) Police Department, welcome to our website! The Lancaster Police Department serves the City of Lancaster, which is a city of about 10,000 people in the Charlotte metropolitan area of South Carolina. We employ approximately 51 members, of which 40 are certified full-time police officers. The city and the department both have long and prestigious histories and futures filled with potential.

The Lancaster Police Department  is a proud and progressive law-enforcement agency made up of skilled and dedicated employees.   In addition to the uniformed patrol division, the department has several areas of specialization including: investigations, tactical operations, drug enforcement, and K-9. Officers who reside within the city limits may be eligible for a take-home patrol vehicle.

We are a technologically advanced department.  Each first-line patrol vehicle is equipped with a radar, Mobile Data Terminals, In-Car Digital Recording System, global positioning unit for collision investigation, 12 gauge shotgun and Bushmaster .223 Assault Rifle,  bars that cover the back windows (which prevent them from being kicked out by prisoners),  plastic "safety" seats in the back (to prevent contraband from being hidden), and a partition/shield between the front and back seats. In addition, the supervisor's patrol car is equipped with a Thermal Imaging System and an Automated External Defibrillator.  

Our incident reports, booking reports, and “mug shots” are done with computers and we are equipped with two Cross Match Technologies Live Scan Fingerprint Machines (pictured to the right).  These machines allow us to identify a suspect within minutes of submitting their fingerprints.   Once submitted, the arrest record is automatically added to the suspect's criminal record.  If the suspect used an alias, that name is added as an alias on his/her criminal record.

Officers are issued all gear required for patrol duties including .40 caliber Glock, pistol mount flashlight, Stinger flashlight, walkie-talkie, pepper spray, X-26 Taser, and body armor. New uniforms are obtained annually. We offer benefit packages including life, health, and dental insurance, tuition reimbursement, as well as participation in the state police retirement system. Officers may receive a rank and/or salary higher than entry-level for law enforcement certifications, college education, military service, and other qualities desirable in police officers.

The city itself has seen unprecedented growth in recent years with a tremendous increase in new businesses and industries. We have an amount of shopping and dining choices that is comparable to much larger cities. The city offers a full-service hospital and a campus of the University of South Carolina.  According to the US Census Bureau, Lancaster County is now the 17th largest and one of the fastest growing counties in the state.  A 2007 study by the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association ranked Lancaster County as having the second lowest cost-of-living in the United States and the lowest in the southeast.  Lancaster County also boasts one of the lowest tax rates in South Carolina.

We are strategically located near all of the Charlotte-area attractions and are situated within easy drives of both the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee and the Grand Strand of South Carolina’s beaches.  Within the county itself, there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities such as hunting, camping, hiking, fishing, etc.

Questions about the website?  Email the webmaster, Cpt. Paul Smith, psmith@lancastercitysc.com