Lancaster City Council names interim police chief

When: Lancaster City Council meeting, Dec. 16. Council members Jaime Arroyo and Janet Diaz were absent.

, and Administrator

2025 December 19 . 2:43 PM

1 min read

In front of the picture, we see a white car on which "Police" is written. Behind that, there are... — In front of the picture, we see a white car on which "Police" is written. Behind that, there are many cars moving on the road. On either side of the road, we see grass and trees. This picture is clicked outside the city.

Lancaster City Council names interim police chief

Lancaster City Council held its December 16 meeting with key decisions on leadership and property. Two members were absent, but the remaining council addressed the future of Firehouse 6 and appointed a new interim police chief. The meeting also included discussions on financial audits and property transfers.

The council began by confirming an 'unmodified opinion' from the city’s 2024 financial audit. This result showed the final budget figures closely matched the city’s earlier unaudited numbers.

Next, the group discussed Firehouse 6 at 843 Fremont St. Pastor Kevin Brown had proposed gifting or selling the property to the Lancaster Chapter of the National Action Network. Mayor Danene Sorace clarified that donating the building to a nonprofit was legally allowed, unlike an earlier plan involving a religious group. Council President Amanda Bakay later agreed to meet privately with Brown to explore the proposal further. The meeting also saw a change in police leadership. Following Chief Richard Mendez’s retirement, the council appointed Randell Zook as interim chief. Zook, currently captain of the patrol division, will step into the role temporarily. An earlier announcement had mistakenly named Deputy Chief Laura Ramirez as the interim appointee, but the council corrected this during the session. Council members Jaime Arroyo and Janet Diaz did not attend the meeting.

The December 16 meeting set clear directions for Firehouse 6 and the police department. Zook will lead the bureau while the council continues evaluating the firehouse’s future. The financial audit confirmed the city’s budget remains stable for now.