LANCASTER, Pa. — Richard Mendez was sworn in as Lancaster’s next police chief by the Lancaster City Council on July 12, according to a press release.
Mendez had been serving as Interim Police Chief since May. He is Lancaster's first Hispanic chief of police, and is a lifelong resident of the city.
Mendez is also a JP McCaskey graduate and a 22-year veteran of the Lancaster City Bureau of Police.
He has served as a patrol officer, a member of the K-9 unit, an officer assigned to the Selective Enforcement Unit, a member of the Lancaster County Special Emergency Response Team, a platoon leader, and most recently, captain of patrol, the largest division of the Bureau, also according to the release.
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude after receiving an abundance of encouragement from the community, especially meaningful to me is the support of the Hispanic community and neighbors I’ve known my whole life," Mendez said in a statement. "As your new chief, I promise to continue building trust in the community through accountability, transparency, and open communication."