Author Archives: Adam Flurry

Stolen Challenger Creates Challenges For Criminals

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On September 10th, a Dodge Challenger was reported stolen from a parking lot in downtown Lancaster. While Officer David Kaminski was taking the information for the report, Officer David Thornton received information that the vehicle had been located in the 400 block of E Strawberry Street. He was able to receive descriptions of those who left the car there.

Using the resources of the Lancaster Safety Coalition, Detective Adam Dommel was not only able to track the Challenger after it was stolen but to identify the two adults and two juveniles that took the car. Detective Dommel charged these individuals and notified the other members of the bureau of this information.

On September 16th, Officer Josiah King found the thieves at Reservoir Park. As additional officers responded to the area the subjects began to run. Officers quickly tracked them and were able to capture three of the four.

About eight hours later, Officer Nicholas Nolan was patrolling the 300 block of Beaver Street when he found the fourth subject in the area. Officer Nolan acted swiftly, coordinating with other officers, and arrested the man. After the arrest, Officer Nolan found the man to have a stolen handgun in his waistband as well as numerous other stolen credit cards and property. 

This is a great example of teamwork by the officers of the Lancaster City Bureau of Police. Thank you to each other who contributed to the arrest of these four criminals and keeping the peace in our city!

Felon Drops His Gun…Down His Pants

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On September 14th, Officer Ryan Yoder and Kevin Golinsky were on patrol in the 500 block of Lafayette Street, and observed a car with extremely heavy window tinting. After stopping the car, officers noticed that the driver was shaking, sweating, and extremely nervous.

As the investigation continued the driver, an adult male, attempted to run from officers who noticed that he was armed. He was bravely pursued and caught nearby. Officers searched the man afterwards and found that a stolen handgun had fallen down the leg of his pants.

Thank you to these officers for removing an armed convicted felon from our streets!

Backwards Pursuits Send Perpetrators Back to Jail

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Three males were charged after the driver of their vehicle rammed a police car and tried to escape while driving in reverse.

On August 27th, Officer Ryan Yoder observed a vehicle that had previously been involved in criminal activity, including fleeing from officers. Acting on an inspection violation, Officer Yoder stopped the vehicle in the 700 block of Manor Street. As the stop occurred, two occupants began to walk away from the vehicle. As Officer Yoder was making contact with these two individuals the driver, a juvenile male, rammed into Officer Yoder’s car and left the parking lot.

Officer Yoder immediately pursued the car as it backed out onto the street. As Officer Yoder was leaving the parking lot, the driver accelerated forward rapidly and struck Officer Yoder’s vehicle again. The driver again began to drive, in reverse, away from Officer Yoder.

Seeing an opportunity to protect countless individuals driving and walking in the area, Officer Yoder was quickly able to disable the fleeing vehicle and contain it safely. The driver began to exit the vehicle, with a stolen handgun in his hand, as Officer Yoder approached. Fortunately for all, the driver dropped the handgun while trying to get out of the car. Officer Yoder quickly seized the handgun and the driver was placed under arrest with the assistance of responding officers. A later search of the car yielded a second stolen handgun.

Through a thorough investigation and with the help of numerous other members of the Lancaster City Police, the two fleeing passengers were quickly identified. Evidence linking both of these individuals with possessing the seized handguns was also located by Officer Yoder. All three occupants were charged with various firearms and stolen property offenses. The driver was also charged with a number of assault, drug, and fleeing offenses as well.

Great work by Officer Yoder in finding and apprehending these dangerous people! Our city is that much safer with your actions!

Officers Arrest Menace to Neighborhood

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A juvenile male was arrested with a handgun after making threats to shoot numerous people as well as a dog.

On June 6th Officer Tyler Chubb responded to the area surrounding the 500 block of Woodward Street for a report of an unknown juvenile male that had threatened to shoot the victim. Officer Chubb was able to learn what the juvenile was wearing and that this same juvenile had threatened to shoot another person in the area.

Officer Chubb was able to locate the second person who had received threats to be shot by the same juvenile who had displayed a firearm while doing so. As Officer Chubb was receiving this information, the original victim approached him and informed him that the juvenile was walking nearby. Officer Chubb radioed for additional officers to help find the juvenile.

Officer Andrew Mease responded to the area and was able to find a person matching the description provided by the victims nearby. Officer Chubb was able to approach this male and attempted to stop him. The juvenile immediately fled and was bravely pursued by Officer Chubb. During the chase, Officer Chubb noticed that the juvenile had thrown an object over a nearby fence. Shortly after this, the juvenile was apprehended. After the pursuit, Officer Chubb checked the area where the object had been thrown and found an untraceable 9mm semi-automatic handgun. 

Before leaving the area, Officer Chubb was approached by a third victim. This person stated that they and their dog were threatened to be shot by the juvenile, while he was clutching a bulky object in his waistband, earlier in the day.

An extremely dangerous individual is now off of our streets and behind bars thanks to the hard work and bravery of our officers! 

Good Teamwork Leads to Robbers Arrest

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On June 1st members of Platoon B worked in harmony in identifying and arresting a robbery suspect.

About about 6:30 PM, Officer Jason Hagy responded to a report of a robbery. Officer Hagy utilized great communication and investigative ability in speaking with the victim and was able to identify the adult male who conducted the robbery. This information was immediately provided to the other members of Officer Hagy’s platoon.

About three hours later and while patrolling the area of the 300 block of S Queen Street, Officer J Hatfield, who is always aware of the people in his patrol areas, located the robbery suspect. As Officer Hatfield went to make the arrest, the man began to run.

Officers Benjamin Strausser and Micaela Heckman quickly responded to the area to assist Officer Hatfield. With great communication and coordination from all of the officers involved Officers Strausser and Heckman were able to apprehend the man. After the arrest was made, the man was found with a quantity of various drugs leading him to be charged with robbery, possession with intent to deliver, and other various crimes.

These officers did a fantastic job from start to finish. Thank you for your amazing efforts in keeping our City safe!

Two Drug Dealers Charged From One Stop

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After a brief game of cat and mouse, two drug dealers were caught with three different types of poison: crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and methamphetamine.

On May 21st Officers Harry Valverde and Randall Myers were on patrol in the southwest portion of Lancaster City when they noticed two men in a vehicle attempting to hide from them. Traveling at high rates of speed, through narrow alleys, and trying to walk away from the car was not enough effort to avoid these two officers. During the stop Officers Valverde and Myers discovered that the men were in possession of large amounts of money and had evidence of drugs inside the car. A later search of the car yielded nearly $1,000 of street drugs and the two were charged with possession with intent to deliver controlled substances.

Excellent persistence and observations by these officers led to this great arrest. Thank you Officers Valverde and Myers as well as all of the officers of our department for a job well done!

Man Wanted for Gun Possession Arrested for Gun Possession

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On May 21st Officer Ryan Yoder discovered an unregistered vehicle driving in the area of S Prince Street and W Farnum Street. Officer Yoder stopped the car and made contact with the driver, an adult man. During the course of the interaction, Officer Yoder noticed signs that there were drugs inside the car and found that the man was wanted through York County. The warrant, related to a prior arrest for illegally possessing a handgun, was verified and the man was arrested.

After the arrest, Officer Yoder discovered that the man had an empty handgun holster with him. Curious to why the holster was empty, and using all of his observations to that point, Officer Yoder was granted a search warrant for the car. Upon searching the car, Officer Yoder was able to locate the man’s illegally possessed handgun as well as his 32 grams of crack cocaine and drug packaging materials.

Thank you Officer Yoder for putting this dangerous individual behind bars as well as removing a handgun and $3,200 worth of drugs from our community!

2021 Awards Ceremony Honors Many

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The Lancaster City Bureau of Police commendation ceremony recognized numerous members of our organization for their hard work, courage, and acts of heroism in 2021. We also celebrated the careers of several of our retired members, congratulated members in promotion, and honored those we lost in 2021. We are proud to served and to have had the opportunity to serve, next to all of these excellent men, women, and K-9s.

Amateur Armorer Charged After Warrant

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A month-long investigation into a Lancaster City man resulted in a search warrant at his home in the 500 block of First Street.

During the month of April 2022, the Selective Enforcement Unit (SEU) conducted an investigation into the sale and construction of firearms and peddling of drugs from the man’s home. On May 7th SEU officers, with the assistance of the Lancaster County Special Emergency Response Team, conducted a search warrant at the address.

As a result of the search warrant, two rifles and a plethora of gun smithing tools and firearm parts were located and seized. Ammunition for handguns and rifles as well as packaging materials for drugs were also found which lead to numerous felony and misdemeanor charges against the man, who is a prior felon.

Thank you to the members of the Selective Enforcement Unit for your commitment and bravery. This investigation will no doubt help Lancaster City continue to be a safe place to be.

Armed Juvenile Arrested During Theft From Vehicle Investigation

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Just after midnight on May 14th 2022 officers were called to the first block of Fairview Avenue for a report of several subjects breaking into cars. Officers responded quickly and began searching for the culprits.

Officer J Hatfield was one of the first to arrive on scene and quickly noticed a juvenile male running from the area. As he pursued after him, Officer Hatfield discovered that the male had removed his outer clothing. In searching the vicinity, Officer Hatfield found the male hiding under a nearby car. The male was apprehended and found with items that were most likely stolen.

About half an hour later, Officers Harry Valverde and Randall Myers were patrolling a surrounding neighborhood when they observed two juvenile males who matched the descriptions from the prior call. They stopped the males and soon found one to be armed with an illegally possessed handgun. This male also had items which had been reported to be stolen from a vehicle.

A quick response and diligent police work get another gun out of Lancaster City. Thank you to all involved for keeping us safe!