LARGO — Nicholas H. Snyder, police chief in Lancaster, Ohio, has been selected as Largo’s next chief of police, the city announced Aug. 20 following a national search.
Snyder, who has led the Lancaster department since 2022 and brings more than 21 years of law enforcement experience, will succeed Chief Mike Loux.
Loux announced in June that he will retire Jan. 28, 2027, a date that coincides with his 35th anniversary with Largo police.
“We feel fortunate to have identified a leader who shares our values,” City Manager John Curp said in a news release. He said the city will introduce Snyder to the community over the next several months, adding that “he and his family could begin their move to Florida as early as October.”
Snyder’s start date and other transition details will be announced as plans are finalized, the release said. Loux will continue to lead the department until he leaves.
As part of the selection process, Snyder interviewed with city administration, the city’s executive leadership team and representatives from the Police Benevolent Association, and he took part in a meet-and-greet with Largo police employees, according to the release.
“Through this comprehensive process, Snyder emerged as the successful candidate,” the release stated.
Snyder joined the Lancaster department in 2005 and rose from patrol officer to deputy chief, working in patrol, major crimes investigations, community relations, support services and special response operations, the release said. As chief, it said, he has focused on leadership development, employee wellness, recruitment, community engagement and organizational transparency.
Loux succeeded his friend and longtime colleague, Jeff Undestad, as chief in June 2023. A former Marine, Loux joined the department’s communications team in 1992 before attending the police academy and becoming an officer in 1995.
After he was chosen as chief, Loux told Tampa Bay Beacons that his goal “was to make sure the legacy (Undestad) left continues on,” noting, “the programs he started that are successful and a benefit to the community will continue on, and we’ll have some new ones come through.”
“The city is deeply grateful for Chief Loux’s dedicated service, leadership and lasting contributions to the organization and the Largo community,” the release stated.
Loux leaves at a time of transition for the department. The city recently moved its administrative headquarters from Highland Avenue to the Horizon West Bay complex, anchored by a new City Hall, in the 400 block of West Bay Drive.
That move, combined with voter approval of a referendum, means the land where the old City Hall sat could be sold and redeveloped, leaving the adjacent police station and public safety building in limbo.
In July 2025, Curp said the city planned a phased approach to developing the property, meaning any relocation of the police department “could be a decade away.”