The City of Lake City celebrated the retirement of Chief of Police Dan Schaffer after 47 years of service, which both began and ended with the Lake City community. In 1978, Schaffer started working for the department and stayed on the team for four years before pursuing other law enforcement careers. In Feb. 2022, Schaffer returned to Lake City, taking on the role of chief of police, even though it would only be short-lived as he announced his plan to retire later in the 2024 calendar year. Schaffer worked tirelessly, putting in extra hours to shape the department into a high-quality, mission-driven, and integrity-focused organization, representing a model of excellence. Just recently, Schaffer assisted the mayor and city council in onboarding two new officers, making the department a fully staffed team while he transitions into retirement. Taking on the role of Acting Chief of Police will be Officer Stephen Hale, who has been training with Schaffer. City officials welcome Hale into his new role, confident in his ability to guide the department into the next phase, and wish Schaffer the best in retirement, thanking him for his extraordinary service and the impact he has left on the Lake City community.
