Lestrade

Lestrade is a fictional character from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. He is an inspector in the London Metropolitan Police who frequently appears as the official representative of law enforcement Holmes encounters during investigations. The character functions as a foil to Holmes’s unconventional methods, embodying procedural police work and bureaucratic caution.

In the canon, Lestrade is depicted as competent and pragmatic but sometimes overconfident or skeptical of Holmes's deductive approaches. He often seeks to present evidence that supports the police investigation and to claim credit for solving cases, while Holmes provides crucial deductions that advance or even resolve the case. The recurring dynamic between Lestrade and Holmes highlights the tension between institutional policing and individual investigative genius, though the two characters can cooperate effectively when their aims align.

The canonical texts do not provide a first name for the character; in many later adaptations and derivative works, he is referred to as Inspector Gregory Lestrade, a name that has become common in popular culture. Across adaptations, the portrayal of Lestrade varies, ranging from a wary, no-nonsense investigator to a more sympathetic ally of Holmes. Despite these variations, Lestrade remains one of the most enduring representations of the official police detective in detective fiction.

Legacy: Lestrade is a recognizable archetype of the police inspector in detective fiction and has influenced later portrayals of officers who interact with brilliant amateur sleuths.