The City of East Lansing first authorized a municipal police department in 1921. Before this, a Town Constable was appointed by the City Council. The first Chief of Police was Reverend John G. Biery. In 1921, the department consisted of Chief Biery and three officers. They had a small jail, which was seldom used. At that time, the annual budget for the Police Department was $2,000. In these early years, East Lansing was a very different place than it is today and likewise, police work within the city was of a different nature. The East Lansing Police reports of the 1930's tell of a small town, listing incidents involving chicken thefts and stray cows. Noise complaints referred to the milk wagon that made its deliveries in the very early hours of the morning. After World War II, Michigan State College separated its police force from the East Lansing Police. The East Lansing Chief, Art Brandstatter resigned, and was appointed as the Chief of the College Police force. Lt. Charles F. Pegg was then appointed as the East Lansing Police Chief, a position which he held from 1946 until 1972. The City of East Lansing continued to grow at a rapid pace, especially during the 1950's when Michigan State College became Michigan State University, and the student population grew significantly. The Police Department also had to grow to meet the public safety needs of an expanding city and college population. Chief Pegg started with a small police force of 4 Officers, and by the time that he retired in 1972, he had built a force of over 50 Officers. His successors, Chiefs Steve Naert, Bob Foster, Tom Hendricks, Lawton Connelly, Louis Muhn and Tom Wibert, all made significant contributions in progressively improving the organization of the East Lansing Police Department. East Lansing Police Chiefs Rev. John G. Beiry Chief John Hackett Chief Castle W. Pratt Chief Richard Rodgers Chief Harold Haun Chief Arthur Brandstatter Chief Charles Pegg Chief Steven Naert Chief Robert Foster Chief Thomas Hendricks Chief Lawton Connelly Chief Louis Muhn Chief Thomas Wibert
Chief Juli Liebler