Who should be Myrtle Beach’s next police chief? These are the top priorities

As Myrtle Beach searches for its next police chief, more than 600 residents, police officers and other stakeholders say they want a visible, proactive and transparent leader as the top law enforcement official in the city.

Former Chief Amy Prock departed in April, and Myrtle Beach paid an outside firm $38,500 to lead the search for her replacement. Public Sector Search and Consulting, which has placed more than 120 police chiefs in U.S. cities, is conducting a nationwide search for Myrtle Beach’s next police chief.

In its search for input, the firm surveyed 62 Myrtle Beach Police Department employees – including sworn personnel, supervisors, command staff and civilian employees – as well as 542 community stakeholders – including residents, business owners, retirees, former law enforcement personnel and other individuals with “longstanding ties” to Myrtle Beach.

The Sun News submitted Freedom of Information Act requests for the feedback and, although Myrtle Beach did not release the actual responses, the city did share Public Sector Search and Consulting’s executive summaries of the employee and community surveys.

The clearest indication of respondents’ priorities are statistics included in the reports. Roughly three-quarters of both employees and community stakeholders identified proactive policing as a top priority.

The only other MBPD survey statistic included in the report found that roughly 75% of employees said staffing and deployment are the areas that most need improvement and visible enforcement is a major operational priority.

“Overall, the survey reflects a Department that remains highly committed to proactive policing and public safety, while also expressing clear concerns regarding communication, staffing pressures, morale, retention, organizational consistency, and internal leadership practices,” the MBPD employee survey says.

The community survey summary offers a more concrete look at respondents’ statistical feedback. Nearly 66% of community stakeholders considered crime reduction a top concern, nearly three-quarters said quality-of-life enforcement is an important priority and nearly 80% indicated experience policing tourism-driven or high-activity communities is an important quality for the next chief.

Communication concerns

Community stakeholders also shared perceptions of MBPD’s public communication. During Prock’s tenure as chief, she rarely communicated directly to the public with videos or sat down with media for interviews. The only news conference Prock hosted in recent years was a joint event with former Mayor Brenda Bethune four days after the April 2025 Ocean Boulevard mass shooting, which left 11 people injured and one suspect dead.

Roughly 78% of community stakeholders indicated it was “very important” the next chief be visible and accessible within the community, and more than 68% of respondents said social media is MBPD’s most effective communication platform.

When considering the department’s communication with the public, about 41% of respondents said it “needs improvement,” 35% considered communication effective and 16% found it very effective.

Within MBPD, internal communication is also an area of concern, with respondents reporting gaps and opportunities for improvement.

Internal hire or external candidate?

Amid the nationwide search, the survey executive summaries suggest respondents are split on whether to bring in an outside hire.

Although neither survey directly asked respondents about their preference, a significant portion of respondents addressed the question anyway.

The executive summary of the employee survey hints at finding more support for a new chief from inside the department than an external hire, but doesn’t explicitly say as much. According to Walsh, “many employees” voiced interest in “leadership continuity,” but “some respondents” supported “leadership capable of introducing fresh ideas.”

The community survey summary is less clear, reporting a “perceptible level of support for internal leadership continuity,” as well as a “a meaningful portion of respondents” who “expressed support for an external candidate.”

In both surveys, responses in favor of internal candidates reportedly cited the importance of institutional knowledge, familiarity with Myrtle Beach’s tourism-driven policing environment, established department relationships and organizational stability and morale during the transition of leadership.

Community stakeholders and employees interested in external candidates highlighted the need for strengthened accountability, a fresh perspective, improved organizational culture and long-term departmental improvements.

“Overall, however, the broader survey responses suggest the community is ultimately more focused on selecting the right type of leader than on whether the next Chief comes from inside or outside the organization,” the community survey says. “Respondents consistently emphasized the importance of credibility, visibility, communication, proactive policing, accountability, and the ability to effectively manage Myrtle Beach’s uniquely demanding public safety environment.”

Work in a tourist town

Challenges specific to Myrtle Beach’s tourist town status were recurring themes across both surveys.

“Numerous” MBPD respondents reported they want a chief who understands “the operational realities of policing a highly visible tourism environment” and is prepared to manage the associated demands. Community stakeholders echoed the sentiment, seeking police leadership that can balance the residential community with the tourism scene.

“The survey also highlighted the community’s recognition that Myrtle Beach presents uniquely complex policing challenges associated with tourism, seasonal population surges, special events, and the constant interaction between visitors and permanent residents,” the community survey says.

MBPD staff and stakeholders alike want the department to have strong patrol visibility, proactive enforcement and reduce crime. Both surveys cited disorderly behavior, drug activity, juvenile issues and homelessness as concerns. Community respondents emphasized these issues particularly on Ocean Boulevard and in the downtown area.

Department priorities

For MBPD employees, many concerns for a new chief go beyond public presence, behind department doors.

“While many respondents expressed pride in the Department and confidence in the professionalism of its personnel, a significant number of comments identified concerns regarding morale, inconsistent leadership practices, favoritism, micromanagement, internal communication gaps, and a perceived disconnect between some members of leadership and frontline employees,” the MBPD survey says.

Respondents cited staffing shortages, retention issues, increasing workloads and overtime pressures as prominent department issues, staff said they want to see fairness, trust, communication, leadership visibility and support for employees in MBPD.

Staff emphasized the importance of retention incentives, competitive compensation, career development opportunities, officer wellness and scheduling practices and patrol personnel support in the Department.

Other concerns centered around leadership itself, like transparency, accountability and integrity. Respondents said they want a chief who is approachable, engaged with personnel at all levels and consistent in discipline, expectations and decision-making.

“Many comments specifically referenced the importance of avoiding micromanagement, inconsistent discipline, emotional decision-making, and leadership practices viewed as disconnected from operational realities,” the survey says.

MBPD employees also considered it important for the new chief to maintain a balance between employee accountability and support.

“Respondents repeatedly indicated that the Department’s long-term effectiveness depends upon leadership that actively listens to personnel concerns, supports proactive officers, improves internal communication, and fosters a professional organizational culture grounded in trust, fairness, consistency, and accountability,” the employee survey says.

When will Myrtle Beach get a new police chief?

More than two months after Prock officially departed, it’s unclear when Myrtle Beach will name a new police chief. The position – which comes with a salary of $215,000 to $225,000 – will remain open until filled, though “optimal consideration” will be given to candidates who apply by June 26, 2026.