LANCASTER, Pa. — Editor's Note: The video above is from Oct. 30.
Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace will bring the appointment of an Interim Chief of Police to City Council Tuesday night, the City of Lancaster announced.
John T. Bey, the former chief of the Middletown Borough Police Department, will be presented to the council this evening for its consent, Sorace's office said in a press release.
Bey, who retired this month as Superintendent of the 193rd Special Operations Comptroller Flight, 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in Middletown, would join the Bureau of Police on Dec. 7.
“As mayor I have committed to build a stronger and more equitable Lancaster, block by block," Sorace said in a press release. "The foundation of this requires public safety. And public safety is built on the trust between the community and the police. We have work to do, and we need a steady hand to lead our bureau and build the bonds of trust within our community. I believe John Bey can help us move forward."
The interim police chief will succeed former Lancaster Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser, who retired at the end of October.
The conclusion of Berkihiser's 26-year career generated controversy after the Lancaster Fraternal Order of Police said he was compelled by Sorace to retire because his wife, Kristy, posted positive comments about President Donald Trump on Facebook.
"The Lancaster County Fraternal Order of Police stands behind its belief that the actions of the mayor and her ‘inner circle’ was motivated by the comment made by his wife In support of President Donald Trump," the group said in a statement following Berkihiser's retirement.
In a video statement on Oct. 15, Sorace said Berkihiser's retirement came about due to her doubt "that (he) truly shared my vision for the direction of the Bureau of Police with the same passion and conviction that I have."
Following a thorough background investigation, Bey was introduced to City Council last week and the Community Police Working Group last night, and will participate in City Council’s public meeting Tuesday night.
Bey has an extensive background in law enforcement, including expertise in communications, community policing, effective recruitment of minorities and women, managing budgets and resource allocation, and education and training. He previously served as the Chief of Police for the Middletown Bureau Police Department from Oct. 2014 through May 2017.
Prior to that, he spent 25 years with the Pennsylvania State Police. During his time with PSP, Bey served in a variety of supervisory roles including patrol unit supervisor, patrol section commander, and criminal investigation section commander.
Additionally, he served as a negotiator for the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) and led the Heritage Affairs and Recruitment and Special Services offices.
During his time in Heritage Affairs, he investigated hate crimes and bias crimes across the state and worked closely with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
Bey has served in the military since 1986 with the Air National Guard where he holds the military rank of chief master sergeant.
Bey graduated from the FBI National Academy as well as the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and a holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in corporate communications from Elizabethtown College.
The City will soon begin a nationwide search for a permanent police chief, Sorace said.
“I am deeply committed to a public, transparent, national search for a permanent Chief of Police, and Chief Bey shares my commitment to that process, which he knows our community must do to succeed,” said Sorace.
City Council will vote on Bey’s appointment at its regular meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. For information about viewing the meeting, visit www.cityoflancasterpa.com/city-council.