New Lancaster Police Department Will Lend Sheriff’s Deputies a Helping Hand

For the first time next year, Lancaster residents will see their own police officers patrolling city streets.

Lancaster currently contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for policing services. But the city is in the process of creating its own police force to assist sheriff’s personnel. 

Mayor R. Rex Parris spearheaded the effort due to ongoing vacancies at LASD. This is an all-hands-on-deck effort to reduce crime in Lancaster.

The new Lancaster Police Department will begin with eight officers, but Parris said that number could quickly grow to 20 or 30. The officers will be armed. They won’t directly respond to emergency calls. Instead, they’ll maintain a presence in the community and assist sheriff’s deputies once they’ve responded to a location. 

Rod Armalin has been selected as the department’s first chief of police. He most recently served as police chief in Sierra Madre.

The initial cost of building the department is estimated at $10 million.