Reggie Rader takes over as Henderson police chief after leadership turmoil
Reggie Rader officially began serving as Henderson’s police chief on July 7, taking charge of the department after former Chief Hollie Chadwick was fired and several senior officials left or retired.
The change places new leadership at the top of the Henderson Police Department following months of controversy and turnover. Rader arrived after a career spanning decades with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
His start is the confirmed milestone in the department’s leadership transition. The available reporting does not provide the terms of his appointment or a detailed timetable for other elements of the transition.
A change after senior departures
Rader replaced Chadwick, whose firing preceded his arrival as chief. The city also said several top officials departed and chose to retire.
The available information does not identify the exact number of senior officials who left, their identities or individual departure dates. It also does not provide the reason for Chadwick’s firing.
Those limits are important in describing the transition. The reported turnover establishes that the department experienced changes in senior leadership, but it does not by itself establish department-wide misconduct or explain the circumstances behind each departure.
Likewise, the material available for this report does not document policy changes, reforms or operational actions implemented by Rader since he began the job. Any such changes would require separate confirmation.
Staffing context in the city budget
Rader takes over as the City Council’s adopted fiscal year 2026-2027 budget provides additional public-safety staffing. In its May 21 budget announcement, the city said the plan includes 14 new patrol-officer positions and one jail-administrator position.
The budget also includes expanded police cadet staffing and crisis-response coverage. These are adopted budget provisions, not confirmation that every position has been filled or that expanded services are already operating.
The budget announcement and the reporting on Rader’s appointment do not state that the staffing items were created because of the leadership transition or that they are tied to his appointment. They nevertheless provide the staffing setting in which the new chief begins leading the department.
What comes next
Rader’s July 7 start marks the completed first step in the leadership change. No additional transition schedule or appointment terms were provided in the available reporting.
For Henderson residents and department employees, the confirmed development is that the police department now has a new chief after a period of leadership turnover. The next documented public developments would be any future city or department announcements about staffing, leadership appointments or operational priorities.