Lancaster County Sheriff says prevention, partnerships are key as population rises

Sheriff Barry Fel said Lancaster County’s growth has changed how his office operates and that prevention and community partnerships are now central to the agency’s approach. Speaking on the County Catchup podcast, Fel traced his career to a ride-along with deputies and said that, while policing once centered on "catching the bad guys," modern public safety emphasizes trust, transparency and working with nonprofits and other partners.

Fel told hosts Jenna Woods and Casey Smith that tactics have shifted as population increased: "what we did in Kershaw was the same thing we did in Indianland... well, it's just not that way anymore," he said, adding that technology lets deputies "work smarter and not harder." Fel said the department is aiming to prevent incidents rather than only respond to them: "Our goal is to prevent anything from happening." He also cited recent improvements in crime clearance: "We're solving 80% of the violent crime, over 50% of the property crimes," and said violent and property crime rates have fallen to roughly 2015 levels.

Why it matters: Lancaster’s rapid population growth has increased demand on public-safety services and required new operational approaches. Fel described a jump in caseloads over his career, noting the office’s workload has grown substantially as the county’s population has expanded.

Fel described the personal side of the work as well, saying that as rank increases so does responsibility to ensure residents receive services and that deputies approach calls with the goal of helping people. He said he hopes Lancaster preserves its "caring, kind" community spirit, which he credited for volunteer partnerships and local support for emergency and victim services.

The sheriff emphasized that some incidents remain unpredictable and require rapid response, so the office maintains round-the-clock readiness. Fel and the hosts noted the strain of increased case volume and the need to balance community outreach, investigation and emergency response as Lancaster continues to grow.

The podcast did not include formal votes or policy actions. The department’s next steps were not specified on the broadcast; Fel discussed ongoing operational priorities rather than announcing new legislation or budget requests.