Second Lancaster City Chief Of Police Resigns Suddenly In Less Than Two Years: Reports

After 33 years in public service, John Bey will retire, multiple media outlets report citing Lancaster city officials.

05/19/2022 12:56 p.m.

Bey had been acting as Chief of Police since Dec. 7, 2020, after Jarrad Berkihiser was forced to resign suddenly amid alleged political endorsements of Donald Trump.

Berkihiser was the second Lancaster police senior staff member to resign due to a scandal in 2020, following the resignation and arrest of Lancaster County Det. Sgt. John Burkhart of the Lancaster Drug Task Force.

“I have determined that after 25 years of service to the Pennsylvania State Police plus my subsequent service with the US Air Force Reserves, Pennsylvania National Guard, and the City of Lancaster, I am ready to take a step back and celebrate these accomplishments,” Bey said in a statement to media.

Bey will be replaced by Richard Mendez who has been a member of the Lancaster Bureau police for 22 years, as ABC 27 reports.

Mendez has lived in Lancaster his entire life and attended JP McCaskey High School, Fox 43 reports.

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