Statement from Chief Richard Mendez:  

Thank you for your patience while we reviewed the incident from March 2, 2025. We want to reiterate once again that all use-of-force incidents undergo a comprehensive review process.  

Our policies, procedures, collective bargaining agreement, and case law (Graham V. Connor) dictate the timeline and standards by which use-of-force incidents are reviewed. Anyone can instantly upload a video online, creating an audience that demands an immediate response. We’ll never be able to compete with the speed of social media, but what we can do is ensure a thorough and fair review of every incident. 

Given the amount of attention this incident garnered and the fact that it involved 15-16-year-olds who are minors – we had to make sure that we were protecting their identities. Even though videos of this incident are circulating online, the Bureau itself cannot release anything that could identify individuals involved. As such, we will not be releasing body camera footage to ensure no faces, audio, or any identifying information about the teens are released to the public. This is our standard practice for all juvenile-related incidents. Please also note that in the past when body camera footage has been released, it was done so by the District Attorney’s office, not the Bureau. 

Details of the Incident: 

On March 2, 2025, at approximately 6:40 pm, officers were heading northbound on the 100 block of N. Queen St. when they observed a group of 10-15 juveniles riding bikes across all lanes of traffic, impeding the flow of traffic. Officers recognized these individuals from an earlier incident that week, which I’ll expound on in a few minutes for fleeing from police for criminal and traffic infractions. 

Officers attempted to stop the juveniles by pulling their marked police vehicle in front of them. The juveniles dispersed in different directions when they exited their vehicle. The officers followed one juvenile, but the individual managed to evade officers by heading Eastbound on E. Walnut St.  

Around 5 minutes later, the officers were traveling eastbound on E. Chestnut St. when they spotted the same group of individuals riding northbound on N. Duke St. The officers stopped at E. Chestnut St. and N. Duke St., exited their vehicle, and approached two juveniles. Officers directed them to stop and had two of the individuals remove themselves from the bike and be placed in a seated position to identify them.   

They were asked to provide their names and were not fully cooperative, stating repeatedly that they did nothing wrong. They were arrested for disorderly conduct as result of them not being cooperative and yelling. 

One officer attempted to place the first juvenile into a handcuffing position, placing them on their stomach using soft open-hand techniques then placed their knee on the juvenile’s lower back to prevent the juvenile from turning back on the officer. The soft open hand technique requires the least amount of force to effectively and safely arrest someone. The second officer directed the other juvenile to put their hands behind their back in order to place them in handcuffs. The juvenile resisted, which resulted in the officer rolling them onto their stomach. As the officer reached under the juvenile’s arms to bring their hands behind his back, the juvenile continued to resist. This resulted in their knuckles scraping the sidewalk and caused him to have abrasions on the back of their hands.  

Both juveniles were taken to the police station with their bikes, and officers contacted their guardians. When the guardians came to pick up their children, they were notified the teens would be charged with Disorderly Conduct, Evading Arrest or Detention on Foot, Riding on Roadways and Pedalcycle Paths, and Lights and Reflectors. 

There was a third juvenile who was on scene and left their bike behind. The bike was transported back to the station. When they came to pick up their bike, the were notified they would be charged with disorderly conduct for encroaching upon officers during the incident. Their guardians were also contacted by our officers and notified of the charges. 

Findings: 

After reviewing multiple reports from the officers on scene, body camera footage, dash cam footage, we have determined the use-of-force in this incident was justified and within policy guidelines. 

Adhering to standard procedure within the Bureau, our officers encountered the juveniles who had initially evaded a traffic stop by fleeing. When two juveniles were stopped, officers were immediately encountered with defiant behavior. 

Our officers utilized the minimum amount of force to safely take both into custody. The juveniles were moved from a seated position to the handcuffing position, which is frequently trained within our Bureau and is a standard practice in policing. While officers were removing the juveniles, multiple other juveniles and unrelated individuals arrived on scene who were starting to make the conditions potentially harmful for the arrestees and the officers.  

The only reported injuries were to one of the juveniles with some minor scrapes to their hands while being handcuffed due to their uncooperative behavior. 

Responding officers were able to move on-lookers back to provide security as well as to minimize injury to civilians and officers. One responding officer utilized OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) spray once to repel individuals who were advised to leave multiple times. Oleoresin Capsicum (or OC) is one of the lowest forms of control in the use of force continuum currently utilized by the Lancaster City Bureau of Police. OC has the effect of a burning sensation in the eyes and facial area with no long-lasting effects. OC can be utilized for area denial or discouraging someone from approaching. In this case, the individuals were warned multiple times and continued to advance on officers. A short burst of OC was deployed, and the desired effect was obtained, including no injuries to civilians and officers.  

Previous Interactions: 

We have had prior interactions with the two juveniles that were arrested as well as the group they ride with. For many months – going back to last summer – we have received numerous complaints. In the last six months, the two juveniles arrested have repeatedly engaged in unsafe activities that could lead to serious bodily harm or even death without immediate intervention. These two juveniles, along with their larger group of peers, have been involved in trespassing, falsely pulling fire alarms, repeatedly obstructing traffic, riding recklessly near pedestrians, and creating dangerous conditions on the streets. Some of these incidents have occurred just days apart, with interactions as frequent as every 2–3 days. On several of these occasions, the juveniles were educated by our officers on the importance of riding safely, including riding with proper lights and reflectors. The parents of these juveniles were also provided information on best practices when riding bikes in the city. 

This ongoing pattern of dangerous behavior from this group leaves us no choice but to intervene. We know some may view these actions as less than serious but let me be clear that riding recklessly through traffic could very quickly result in a serious injury or death. Our priority is to prevent a tragedy and ensure the safety of everyone, which includes these same juveniles as well as motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. 

Ongoing Bureau Efforts: 

Officers typically have only minutes, sometimes mere seconds, to assess a situation and make critical decisions. We understand watching an arrest unfold can stir a range of emotions, which is a natural and human response. Unfortunately, this is the reality of our job. Officers cannot take their safety for granted. Every encounter carries risks, and split-second decisions can mean the difference between life and death. 

Sadly, our juvenile population isn't just engaging in unsafe bike riding; many are actively involved in gun violence. In the past three years alone, our department has confiscated 56 firearms from juveniles. In 2022, we had three juveniles arrested for homicide, and in 2023, we had a juvenile lose their life during an officer-involved shooting after aiming a firearm at police. The stakes are often high when responding to incidents, and our officers are tasked with making quick decisions to protect the community and themselves. 

This is why our officers receive a multitude of trainings ranging from control tactics to de-escalation, mental health awareness training, bias training, and more. Not only do we send our officers to attend some of the best trainings available in the country, but the Bureau has also gone through a massive undertaking preparing for accreditation by updating our standards, policies, and practices.  

As of February 26, 2025, the Bureau successfully completed our assessment with the Pennsylvania Accreditation Commission and was officially recommended for accreditation. The Commission’s report stated, “The Lancaster City Bureau of Police fine example of a professional police organization. Their organizational philosophies and practices show their commitment to providing superior quality law enforcement services to their community. They demonstrated that the Department is well-trained, well-organized, and well-directed. This was repeatedly confirmed by our observations and interactions with departmental personnel.”  

I’d love to go more in-depth about the accreditation, but I hope to do that in the near future when the Commission votes this spring. So, I’ll give you just a brief overview. Accreditation is a symbol of our collective commitment to self-improvement. There are approximately 139 standards required for accredited agencies to not only comply with but also prove to the commission that we are in compliance with the continuously evolving standards. These include police training, oversight of the bureau, and supporting and promoting trust between police and the community. 

Because we hold ourselves to the highest standards, we can proudly state that over the last six years, only 1 – 3% of our arrests have resulted in a use-of-force. The public can find our quarterly use of force stats on our website. Additionally, all police policies were made public to increase transparency, these policies can also be found on our website. 

Community Engagement & Outreach Efforts: 

Many of our community engagement activities include fostering strong and positive relationships with our youth. Over the years, we have enjoyed gardening, celebrating youth art month, providing station tours, playing sports, handing out free ice cream to kids on a hot summer day, and more. We enjoy working alongside The Mix, Boys and Girls Club, SDoL, and Brightside Opportunities, all of which help to provide us with opportunities to build trust and meaningful relationships with the kids in our neighborhoods. We proudly partner with Benchmark by referring young people who are not in the system yet but are heading down a troubling path. One of our officers plays basketball with kids enrolled in Bench Mark at least once a week. 

We are calling on the community to join us in guiding and mentoring our youth, helping them become safe, responsible, and productive members of society. Ensuring their success is a shared responsibility, and the police cannot do it alone. By working together, we can provide the support, education, and positive influences needed to keep our kids on the right path. We want every child in this community to achieve their fullest potential, unlock their brightest future, and become Lancaster’s leaders of tomorrow. 

We are pleased to announce that we will once again be hosting the Citizen Police Academy. We recognize that many community members and leaders may not have a full understanding of our policies, standards, and procedures. This academy offers a valuable opportunity to gain insight into the inner workings of the Lancaster City Bureau of Police and foster stronger relationships between officers and the community. 

We hope to see the Citizens Police Academy filled over the next few years with members of the public and city leaders alike. 

Finally, the Bureau has roughly 20 vacancies, and we would love to see these positions filled with dedicated members of our community. We are in a pivotal moment where the future of the Bureau is in the hands of Lancaster City residents. The next generation of policing is yours to shape. If you want someone from your neighborhood to be the one responding in times of crisis, encourage them to apply. Our applications are open now —this is your opportunity to help shape the future of public safety in Lancaster City. To learn more and apply go to lcbpcareers.com.