Second Horry County Police official announces retirement in recent weeks

Horry County Deputy Chief Scott Rutherford, commander of special operations, submitted his retirement papers Wednesday, becoming the second top official to announce in recent weeks that they will leave the agency.

Rutherford’s retirement takes effect June 6, ending a 25-year career with the department, said Lisa Bourcier, Horry County spokeswoman.

Rutherford’s announcement comes less than a week after Saundra Rhodes’s last day as police chief.

The county paid $60,000 into Rhodes retirement fund so that she could collect those benefits a year and seven months earlier than her 25th anniversary with the department. Her last day was Friday.

County officials aren’t speaking publicly about the retirements, or two pending lawsuits against the police department. One of the lawsuits alleges that a detective sexually assaulted a rape victim.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating individuals within the police department, but officials there have declined to comment on the context of their inquiry.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Second Horry County Police official announces retirement in recent weeks."