Pine Ridge, SC (Paul Kirby) As of last Tuesday, Pine Ridge is once again protected by their own police department. Tuesday, Chief Nicholas Scott was sworn in as their police chief. Scott, a veteran from the City of Columbia Police Department, was a sergeant there until he accepted the Pine Ridge job.
Friday morning, Chief Scott was out policing the town and had stopped by the town hall a moment when we caught up with him. Scott said that he had received an unbelievable reception from the leaders and people of the town. “Everyone has been so nice and receptive,” Scott said. “I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of this town and can’t wait to meet more of its people.” He said he really had just been getting a feel for the town and working to rebuild the police department after all its members were either fired or quit about a month ago. The department had temporarily suspended operations until the chief was sworn in. Scott said Friday that he currently has three part-time officers policing the town and hopes to have a full-time officer hired soon.
We talked for short while about the chiefs that had served Pine Ridge before him including Chief O.T. Watts, who passed away recently, Chief Liz Berry, and most recently Chief Billy Parker. In our conversation Scott said, “When the day comes that I finally leave Pine Ridge, I just hope that people will look back on my period of service and have fond memories and nice things to say about me too.”
Since coming to Pine Ridge, the chief has already started a Facebook and Twitter page for the department. You can find the Pine Ridge Police Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PineRidgePolice and on Twitter at twitter.com/pineridgepolice Chief Scott can be contacted at the town hall by calling (803) 755-2500. His non-emergency dispatch number is (803) 785-2521 and in an emergency dial 911.
