McDaniel appointed acting Lancaster police chief

LANCASTER – Lancaster Service/Safety Director Brian Kuhn has appointed Lancaster police Deputy Chief Don McDaniel as acting police chief.

McDaniel will fill the vacancy left by retiring Chief Dave Bailey.

McDaniel, a 27-year veteran of the Lancaster police department, is a U.S. Marine veteran and a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. He is a Lancaster native and a graduate of Lancaster High School.

Past assignments have included patrol watch commander, detective bureau commander, and he has served as deputy chief since 2003.

He has served as president, vice president and as a trustee of the Fraternal Order of Police-Forest Rose Lodge 50; president of the Lancaster Police Supervisors Association and chairman of the Fairfield County Law Enforcement Administrators group.

In the community, McDaniel has served several years as president and tournament director for the Lancaster Girls Softball Association and is the organization’s umpire in charge. He is a member of the Community Corrections Board and the United Way Campaign Committee.

He and his wife live in Lancaster and they have four adult children and three grandchildren.

Kuhn also announced that Capt. Dan Patten will serve as acting deputy chief and Lt. Scott Cox will serve as acting captain.

The Civil Service Commission examination and assessments for the permanent position appointments will take place in late June.