photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

A Lawrence Police Department patrol vehicle is pictured June 28, 2022.

The Lawrence Police Department has doubled its downtown patrol team in preparation for the holiday season, expanding the team until the end of the year.

The LPD has had a two-person dedicated downtown patrol team since 2024. Now, in preparation for the holiday traffic in downtown, there will be two additional officers added to the downtown team. The expanded team will also operate during evening and weekend hours, a press release from the department said.

“Downtown Lawrence is the heart of our community and a destination for visitors from across the region,” City Manager Majed Al-Ghafry said in the release. “We want our business owners to feel supported, and everyone who visits downtown to feel safe and welcome. I’m excited about this expanded effort and look forward to hearing directly from our downtown businesses about the difference it makes.”

The increased downtown patrol began Monday, and it will continue until the end of 2026. The dedicated team of two officers will remain assigned to downtown once the increased holiday patrol period ends.

“Downtown Lawrence is known for its great local shops and restaurants,” Chief Rich Lockhart said in the release. “We are committed to providing a safe, secure and welcoming atmosphere so everyone can continue to enjoy downtown and have a great holiday season.”