Acting police chief quits Horry County amid investigation of cops
Just weeks after he took over as acting Horry County police chief, Kelvin Waites quit the law enforcement agency and is taking the top cop job in Georgetown.
Deputy Chief Waites was named acting police chief for Horry County after Saundra Rhodes stepped down May 6, one month later Deputy Chief Scott Rutherford announced his retirement.
Horry County Council Chairman Mark Lazarus confirmed that Waites, who lives in Georgetown, is leaving the police department.
“We hate to lose him, he’s a good guy,” Lazarus said.
Horry County began the official job search earlier this month to permanently fill the position, but Waites opted to take the position with the City of Georgetown where the former police chief was promoted last week to city administrator.
Waites began working for the Horry County police in 2012 and will step down as acting chief on July 1. Lance Winburn, the captain for the south strand precinct, will act as interim chief until a permanent chief is hired.
“Waites spent most of his career working for the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Georgetown before coming to Horry County,” Chris Eldridge, Horry County administrator, said in a statement.
“Georgetown is home to him and as such, his wife, Chelice, is currently running for Georgetown County Treasurer. I wish him and his family a successful future, and I appreciate his professionalism and dedication to the police department,” Eldridge said.
The Horry County Police Department is dealing with numerous lawsuits targeting a former detective, claiming that officer sexually assaulted women whose cases he was assigned to investigate, and coerced them to participate in nude, videotaped fights.
Several individuals within the agency are also under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for possible wrongdoing.
Audrey Hudson: 843-444-1765, @AudreyHudson
This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Acting police chief quits Horry County amid investigation of cops."