Reno Police Operations Continue During Chief's Leave
- Reno Police Department continues routine operations while Chief remains on leave, with interim leaders managing daily duties. - Deputy chiefs and command staff have assumed oversight to ensure patrols, investigations, and public safety services remain uninterrupted. - City officials say the transition is temporary and public safety won’t be compromised (patch.com).
Reno’s police department is still running day to day while Chief Kathryn Nance remains on paid administrative leave and outside leaders cover the top job. (reno.gov) The City of Reno put Nance and five other department members on leave on March 9, 2026, pending an independent administrative investigation into alleged violations of city policy. The city asked the Nevada Department of Public Safety to handle that review. (reno.gov) That same day, the city activated an interlocal agreement with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and named Washoe Undersheriff Corey Solferino acting chief of the Reno Police Department, effective immediately. City Manager Jackie Bryant said Reno kept executive oversight while the department continued under its existing policies and procedures. (reno.gov) The arrangement changed who is in charge, not the department’s basic work. City officials said patrol, investigations and other police services would continue without interruption during the investigation. (reno.gov) Reno added more temporary leadership on March 25, when the department announced two support roles filled by retired law enforcement leaders. Former Reno Police commander Sean Garlock became acting chief of sworn staff, and former Washoe County undersheriff Wayne Yarbrough became acting chief of professional staff. (reno.gov) Those assignments split oversight between the department’s armed officers and its civilian side while Solferino remained acting chief. City officials said the goal was to stabilize command staffing after several senior leaders were sidelined at once. (mynews4.com) Bryant said on March 12 that the city’s response was built around four priorities: protecting public safety, preserving the investigation, ensuring due process and sharing information when legally appropriate. She also said the sheriff’s office was chosen because it already works closely with Reno on dispatch, forensics and other regional public safety functions. (mynews4.com) Public details about the allegations remain limited. Mayor Hillary Schieve said on March 9 that administrative leave does not amount to a finding of wrongdoing, and city officials have not publicly described the specific conduct under review. (reno.gov) Six weeks into the assignment, Solferino told the Reno Gazette Journal that operations were going well as he balanced the acting chief role with his Washoe County job. The city’s message has stayed the same since March: the leadership change is temporary, and Reno police services are expected to keep running while the investigation plays out. (rgj.com)
