When will a new Myrtle Beach police chief be hired? Not before residents have say
Myrtle Beach Police’s lack of transparency and community policing were the top criticisms from residents who gathered Monday to offer thoughts on what should be considered as the city plans to hire a new police chief.
About 40 people showed up at the Mary C. Canty Recreation Center as part of the city’s efforts to collect community input before hiring a new chief to lead more than 300 offcers and staff.
It was the second of four community input sessions to be conducted by city officials and headed up by the Public Sector Search and Consulting firm, hired by the city for $38,500 to conduct the search. An earlier session was conducted Monday for business leaders. A third session will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA, 5000 Claire Chapin Epps Drive, and the final one is at 6 p.m. Wednesday at General Robert H. Reed Recreation Center, 800 Gabreski Lane.
The search comes following Police Chief Amy Prock’s retirement earlier this month after nearly 30 years on the force — nine of those as the department’s first female chief.
The search process will take several months, according to Ron Walsh, who is leading the sessions for the national search firm. Josh Bruegger, assistant city manager, said the chief job description is expected to be posted by mid-May. Applications will be taken for about 30 days after the posting, and then the candidate process will begin.
Walsh’s estimated timeline of the search process would mean that a chief could be hired by July or August.
But before the job is posted, city officials are seeking comments, including through an online survey, about what the public likes and dislikes, and what is missing within the police department.
Residents who showed up Monday night said that the next chief needs to be to handle the large number of tourists that come to the coastal city each year and the things that result from the influx of people.
The department was criticized by residents for its handling of the mass shooting that happened along North Ocean Boulevard last April, resulting in an 18-year-old being shot and killed and 11 others being injured.
Those who spoke said officers need to be proactive and not reactive, adding that not enough police are available across the city. It was pointed out that many resources are placed along the boulevard to deal with tourists, Bike Week and Memorial Day weekend, which then pulls officers from other sections of the city.
“We’re still living over here,” one woman said.
Residents also said they feel like a “stigma” has been placed on their community. The area where the recreation center is located is made up primarily of Black residents. Commenters pointed out issues with racial profiling and the lack of “culture competency” by officers who do respond.
Residents did credit several officers working in their community and schools and officers’ response time.
The person selected needs to fit the community they are serving and “not someone who comes here to retire,” residents said.
