The City of Canyon Lake invites the community to celebrate the launch of its new police department at its Inaugural Open House and Community Celebration.
The event will take place on Friday, July 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. in front of City Hall in the Canyon Lake Towne Center.
The evening will include live music, department and vehicle tours, opportunities to meet Canyon Lake’s new officers, food, drinks, local business giveaways, activities for kids, photo opportunities with officers and firefighters, and more. There will also be a classic car show, presented by the Canyon Lake Car Club.
The City of Canyon Lake’s new police department is set to begin operations on August 10, marking the end of the city’s contract with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
The new department will be led by Chief James Rayls, who retired from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in 2025 after a 29-year career. From 2022 through 2025, Rayls served as the chief law enforcement officer overseeing policing services for Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, and Wildomar while assigned through the Sheriff’s Office.
Rayls was officially sworn in on May 13 as Canyon Lake’s first chief of police and the department’s first sworn officer.
