Patrick M. Fitzgerald

Patrick M. Fitzgerald

Chief of Police

Chief Patrick M. Fitzgerald was promoted to Chief of Police in February of 2022 after being selected as the Acting Chief of Police by the Orchard Park Town Board upon the retirement of Chief E. Joseph Wehrfritz. Chief Fitzgerald began his career with the Orchard Park Police Department in 1999 when he was hired as a fulltime Public Safety Dispatcher.

Chief Fitzgerald became a City of Rochester Police Officer prior to returning to the Orchard Park Police Department in 2005 where he has worked as a Patrol Officer, D.A.R.E. Officer, School Resource Officer (SRO), Bike Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer (FTO) and SWAT Officer.

Chief Fitzgerald was promoted to Lieutenant in 2013, then Captain of Administration in 2019 where he oversaw all administrative functions of the Department and commanded the Department’s Emergency Response Team.

Gregory Sheppard

Gregory Sheppard

Captain of Administration

Captain Gregory Sheppard is a lifelong resident of Orchard Park and was hired by the Orchard Park Police Department in July of 2013.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in June of 2018, and to Captain of Patrol in January 2021. 

Captain Sheppard transitioned to the role of Administrative Captain in July 2022.  Captain Sheppard’s roles in the department consist of Field Training Officer (FTO), Firearms Instructor, Taser Instructor and Emergency Response Team Co-Commander. 

Captain Sheppard’s duties include overseeing the Detective Bureau, School Resource Officers, Public Safety Dispatchers, Quartermaster Program, and managing the patrol car fleet.

Captain of Patrol

  • Lieutenant Daniel Lagoda
  • Lieutenant Daniel Honer
  • Lieutenant Brian Gehring
  • Lieutenant Brian Lukowski
  • Lieutenant Ryan Myers
  • Lieutenant Michael Mackey
  • Lieutenant John Starr
There are currently seven Patrol Lieutenants dedicated to the Orchard Park Police Department. A Lieutenant is the first-line supervisor of the shift, responsible for planning, organizing, overseeing, and coordinating the daily activities of the patrol division. They review all investigations conducted and reports completed by patrol officers.
 
Lieutenants schedule duty assignments to ensure minimum staffing and appropriate coverage, as well as approve leave requests of their assigned officers.
 
They monitor officers at work to ensure operations are conducted in accordance with departmental policies and ensure officers are properly trained.
 
Patrol Lieutenants will be the first to respond when the public requests a supervisor regarding complaints of service, operations, or policies of the department. They immediately establish communication with anyone who requests extra explanations on matters or wishes to file formal complaints.
 
Lieutenants must have sound knowledge of the department’s policies, procedures, and operations. Knowledge of constitutional rights, principles and practices of search and seizure, and preservation of evidence. Strong knowledge of pertinent Federal, State, and local laws and regulations is essential.
 
In addition to the patrol supervisory role, many Lieutenants have designated units that they oversee, such as bike patrol, the Emergency Response Team, evidence storage, traffic safety and enforcement, firearms, people in crisis or with mental illness, annual in-service training, legal updates, and many more.