Editing Lake Charles, Louisiana (section)

==Government==
{{see also|List of mayors of Lake Charles, Louisiana}}
Lake Charles has a [[mayor-council]] government. The elected officials include the mayor, the clerk of court, and seven city council members. Each council member represents a district within the city limits. One is elected president and presides over each meeting. The mayor serves a four-year term. The current mayor is [[Nic Hunter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/department/division.php?fDD=2-23|title=/ City of Lake Charles, Louisiana|website=Cityoflakecharles.com|access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref> The mayor appoints the [[city attorney]].

The [[Lake Charles Police Department]] (LCPD) provides law enforcement and protection for the city. The police chief is appointed to a six-year term,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/egov/docs/1184608211100.htm|title=City of Lake Charles, Louisiana – Chief of Police Dixon|website=Cityoflakecharles.com|access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref> and the fire chief is also appointed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cityoflakecharles.com/department/division.php?fDD=9-153 |title=City of Lake Charles, Louisiana / |website=cityoflakecharles.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105231536/http://cityoflakecharles.com/department/division.php?fDD=9-153 |archive-date=5 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Lake Charles Fire Department has eight stations and 15 companies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cityoflakecharles.com/department/division.php?fDD=9-15 |title=City of Lake Charles, Louisiana / |website=cityoflakecharles.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122105443/http://cityoflakecharles.com/department/division.php?fDD=9-15 |archive-date=22 November 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[McNeese State University]] also has its own police department, the McNeese State University Police Department.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcneese.edu/police/|title=University Police – McNeese State University|website=Mcneese.edu|access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref>

The Lake Charles City Court's jurisdiction covers the city and Ward 3 in [[Calcasieu Parish]].<ref>[http://www.lccitycourt.org/Pages/WhoSued.htm Retrieved April 3, 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705124540/http://www.lccitycourt.org//Pages/WhoSued.htm |date=July 5, 2008 }}</ref> The Fourteenth Judicial District Court, in downtown Lake Charles, covers Calcasieu Parish and includes nine judges who preside over family, juvenile, civil, and criminal trials.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.14jdc.org/pages/Divisions.htm|title=Judges and Staff|website=14th Judicial District Court|access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref> Lake Charles is home to a [[United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana|United States District Court]], also downtown.<ref>[http://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/General_Info/Court_Locations/Lake_Charles/lake_charles.html Retrieved May 26, 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527091429/http://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/General_Info/Court_Locations/Lake_Charles/lake_charles.html |date=May 27, 2010 }}</ref> The [[Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal|Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals]] is headquartered in the city.<ref>[http://www.la3circuit.org/directions.htm Retrieved May 26, 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091219164339/http://www.la3circuit.org/directions.htm |date=December 19, 2009 }}</ref>

Lake Charles is represented by [[Clay Higgins]] of [[Louisiana's 3rd congressional district]]. Most of the city is represented by Senator Jeremy Stine of District 27 in the [[Louisiana State Senate]], though Mark Abraham's District 25 includes some neighborhoods of south Lake Charles.