Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Harry Valverde idolized two role models growing up in Long Island: his father and grandfather.

“My dad served with NYPD for many years,” Valverde said. “He was active during 9/11 and there through it all. When you think of NYPD, you think of that. That was a huge inspiration for me.”

Valverde’s mother is from England and his grandfather was Detective Chief Inspector in New Scotland Yard, the police force covering the Greater London area.

This early exposure to law enforcement interested Valverde in beginning a career in the field, a journey which started with his family’s move to Lancaster and led him to the Lancaster City Bureau of Police Department.

Valverde moved from Long Island to Lancaster County when he was 9 and eventually attended and graduated from Dayspring Christian Academy in Mountville.

After high school, Valverde started collegiate studies in Criminal Justice while spending summers at a popular vacation spot to gain experience as a police officer.

“I was a seasonal officer in Ocean City, Maryland, for three summers,” he said. “It was an internship essentially. Every summer you go down. The first two summers I was a cadet and then the third summer you’re an officer. It goes from like 20,000 people to 300,000 in a second during summertime. In college they came and recruited, and I figured I’d give it a shot. It filled up my summer and gave me experience being a police officer. It was fun.”

He parlayed that experience into a job offer from Lancaster City Police and decided to move home and accept the position, officially becoming a full-time officer like his father and grandfather in July of 2020.

“I was obviously inspired by my father and grandfather, but I enjoy giving back to the community,” Valverde said. “I know it’s the generic answer, but it’s nice to get out and play basketball with kids and stuff like that. It’s nice to take the badge and vest off for a second and let them know that you're an actual person, not some militarized, SWAT guy.”

Valverde is currently a patrol officer in the southeast quadrant of Lancaster city and he makes concerted efforts to be a positive impact on the youth in the area he is responsible for serving.

“Making that impact on these younger kids is one of the main reasons why I wanted to do this,” he said. “At the end of the day, that's where the future is. I’m only in year three, so the kids that we interact with now will be the adults we interact with years later. It’s important to be a positive influence on them and what better way to do it than as a cop.”

The third-year officer also assists in his department’s auto theft unit, helping in different overtime details such as processing stolen vehicles. He could see himself pursuing this area of work further down the road in the Criminal Investigation Division. His top goal is working his way up the chain-of-command and leading the City’s Patrol Division.

“I’d like to lead the Patrol Division one day,” Valverde said. “That would be my ultimate goal, but we will see. A lot can change, you never know. The detective route also interests me.”

Valverde said he’s a typical family man and feels common misconceptions of police officers include them not being approachable, taking everything personally, and having a grudge against society.

“I don’t think it’s that way,” he said. “As cops we go out and try to make an impact in somebody’s life rather than trying to throw the book at them and make it hard for them. The more you get out into the community, get out of your car, and talk to people, the more connection you will make. It’s important to have a conversation with someone and learn about them and their community.”

Valverde spends time with his family, attends church, and has recently taken up golf – something he said could use improvement – as ways to decompress from difficult moments experienced on the job. He also has a good support system with fellow family and friends that are or were in law enforcement.

As a kid growing up in New York, Valverde enjoys the smaller city and tight-knit feel of Lancaster.

“It’s a semi-big city with downtown attractions like Central Market,” he said. “It gives a homey vibe, kind of like Philly, Baltimore, and parts of New York. But at the same time, it’s this small local community.”

It’s a community Valverde has sworn to protect and serve, something he’d recommend to anyone pondering joining him amongst the law enforcement ranks in Lancaster County.

“Before you jump in, get a vibe for it,” he said. “When I did my Maryland gig, I got a good taste of what law enforcement was like. Do a ride-along. Get your feet in the door before you commit. There’s a misunderstanding that you must go to college to become a police officer. You can, but it’s not necessary. Having common sense is just as important as being book smart.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.