While sitting in a restaurant during his early days in law enforcement, Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Commander Phil Sample overheard a familiar line.
“You see the cops sitting there? If you act up, he's gonna get you,” the parent told their child.
Sample says that the message runs counter to how he believes policing should work, especially in a tight-knit community like La Center.
“My message is no, don't tell the kids that, because if there's a problem, I want them to come to me,” Sample said. “I don't want them to think that I'm going to be their problem. I want them to say ‘This is somebody that's going to help us out of a problem or help me get to safety’ or something of that nature.”
A year following the approved interlocal agreement between CCSO and the City of La Center, Sample, who leads police services in the City, continues to approach the community with that philosophy in mind.
La Center formally restored full police services in February 2025 through a five-year contract with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office worth $5,332,506.99. The agreement added patrol deputies and administrative support and gave the city access to specialized services, such as detectives, K9 units, SWAT, and bomb technicians, that would otherwise incur additional fees.
The contract followed nearly a year of interim coverage beginning in early 2024, when CCSO deputies and officers from nearby agencies filled patrol shifts largely through overtime while the city worked toward a permanent solution.
Staffing was one of the biggest early hurdles as deputies balanced the new responsibility with countywide shortages.
“I think the biggest challenge at first was to get staffed because we were dealing with our own staffing issues down in the core of the county with (CCSO),” Sample said. “As soon as we start getting employees here, things started to work; they're working out for us in a better way… As soon as people started realizing that we were here and we were open again, people drop by here all the time and want to come here to file reports.”
Today, La Center’s patrol staffing includes four deputies split between day and night shifts, along with a support specialist and Sample overseeing operations. The increase in staffing has helped deputies spend more time proactively patrolling the community, according to Sample.
Data shared by Sample shows calls for service dipped slightly in 2025 compared with the previous year. In 2024, deputies handled 2,514 total calls, including 1,594 initiated by residents and 920 initiated by deputies. In 2025, that number dropped to 2,092 calls, with 1,127 initiated by residents and 965 initiated by deputies.
The increase in officer-initiated activity is something Sample views as a positive sign.
“This means people aren't just sitting around, so we're staying active,” Sample said. “We're out there moving about (as) a deterrence for crime and other things happening.”
One trend that has grown in recent years is fraud and scams, particularly targeting seniors. Sample has begun speaking directly with community groups to help residents recognize the warning signs.
“Fraud is booming right now as far as an uptick in trends,” Sample said.
Sample has also worked to educate residents about common scam tactics during presentations, including one he recently gave to the local Meals on Wheels group. Sample advises community members to trust their instincts and never feel pressured or rushed by a suspicious call. If someone receives a weird call, they should disconnect immediately and talk to a trusted person as soon as possible.
“If they’re calling you and they’re saying, ‘Hey, you have to act now…’ It’s like how you feel when you go to a car lot and someone’s being pushy. You just kind of get the heebie-jeebies and trust your instincts,” Sample said.
Traffic enforcement has also increased significantly as deputies spend more time visible on city streets. In 2025, deputies issued 86 citations and 132 infractions, a sharp jump compared with earlier years.
“In 2023, a total of 11 traffic cases were recorded. This number rose sharply to 69 in 2024, representing a substantial increase. Then from 2024 to 2025, traffic cases continue to rise at a more moderate pace, so the total grew from 69 to 132 (infractions),” Sample said.
For Sample, the goal of traffic enforcement is less about issuing tickets and more about encouraging safer driving.
“And the citizens don't complain about it, they ask for more,” Sample said.
One traffic concern deputies continue to monitor is the roundabout connecting Pacific Highway with East Fourth Street, which serves as a major entrance to downtown La Center. Minor collisions also occur frequently near the city’s casinos, where parking lot fender-benders and hit-and-run incidents generate calls.
Despite the challenges of overseeing policing in a small but active community, Sample says the biggest success of the past year has been deputies’ embrace of the close relationship La Center residents expect with their police.
“Communities kind of differ when you're going in different places like Vancouver or Hazel Dell, you need a different person up here, where no call is too small,” Sample said.
Sample said the job also comes with a few odd challenges. As a commander with the sheriff’s office who effectively serves as the city’s police chief, the title can get confusing. Some locals, he said, simply combine the two.
“A lot of people were joking a couple of years back and started calling me ‘chimmander,’” Sample laughed. “They just stuck them both together like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was like, ‘OK, it's not derogatory, so I don't care.’”
