New police department takes over law enforcement in Lathrop

Aaron Leathley, The Record
·1 min read
Lights on a Stockton police vehicle flash in downtown Stockton.
Lights on a Stockton police vehicle flash in downtown Stockton.

The newly-formed Lathrop Police Department took over law enforcement responsibilities from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, according to Deputy Nick Goucher, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.

The Lathrop City Council voted last year to create the department to reduce the costs associated with contracting sheriff's officers to patrol the city.

The sheriff's office charged $9.1 million per year for contracted police services in 2021, according to a statement.

Lathrop is one of the fastest-growing cities in the county and the only incorporated city in the county without a police department, according to the statement.

Lathrop's new chief of police is Raymond Belcher.

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers business, housing, and land use. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow. 

This article originally appeared on The Record: New police department takes over law enforcement in Lathrop