After serving 10 years as a patrol officer here, Charles Mitchell Stephens has been named the village’s new police chief.

"It’s a dream I’ve had since I came to work for Mer Rouge,” Stephens said. “It’s a perfect town.”

The 29-year veteran of law enforcement beat out 10 applicants for the job. He’s replacing Lyle L. Hopkins, 81, who is retiring in December after 24 years as chief.

“He’s had medical issues,” Stephens said. “He came in City Hall one day and told the mayor I needed to be sworn in.”

Stephens said Hopkins helped him get his start in Mer Rouge in 1998. While Stephens was working in the Village of Collinston, Hopkins called him about an opening for a patrol officer in Mer Rouge. Stephens took the job.

“We had to take care of each other,” he said. “You take over all of the duties. We try to assist in any way we can. We are animal control officers, as well.”

Hopkins has helped Stephens on a personal level, as well.

“When my father died in 1999, Chief Hopkins kind of adopted me as a son — both professionally and personally,” Stephens said. “I don’t know how to thank him for that. I consider him part of my family.”

His interest in law enforcement first came in 1979 while working at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola.

“That gave me an inkling,” Stephens said.

Several years later, he talked with former Bastrop Police Chief Alan Freeman about how to become an officer. Before Freeman could hire him, former Morehouse Parish Chief Deputy Marion Bankston hired him as a jailer.

Stephens was quickly asked if he wanted to go on the road as a patrol officer. Before that, he worked as a dispatcher and in 1992, he became a supervisor.

After taking a short break, Stephens said he heard the Village of Collinston had an opening for a patrol officer. He worked there until Hopkins called him to come to Mer Rouge.

Stephens is married to Sherri Stephens, a Bastrop Police Department patrol officer. He is the father of five children.

“I want to thank the citizens of Mer Rouge, because I know they supported me during this election,” he said. “Mer Rouge is small enough where you really know the people. You don’t do this job for the money. You do it for the satisfaction of helping people.”