The Search for a New Police Chief

Columbia, South Carolina

Charles P. Austin, Sr., became Columbia's Chief of Police on October 1, 1990. Previously he served as Deputy Chief of Police in charge of the Operations Division. Chief Austin has been in law enforcement for more than twenty years. He began as a patrol officer for the Greenville Police Department (February-May 1973), then as a patrol officer for the Easley Police Department (1973-75); special agent, SLED (1975-86); director of campus police, S.C. State (1986-88); deputy chief of police, Chatham County Police Department, Savannah (1988-89) and is currently the City Manager for Columbia, SC.

A graduate of South Carolina State University, he received a Master of Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina. He has also attended various other schools for training, including the John F. Kennedy School of Government for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. Chief Austin has traveled to several foreign countries to study the concept of community policing.

Update 12/15/03

The application period ends.

Update 03/16/04

City officials narrow the search to three finalists. Sumter, SC Police Chief Patty Patterson (left); Greer, SC Police Chief Dean Crisp (center) and Edward Long, Assistant Chief from Portsmouth, VA (right).

Update 04/16/04

Dean Crisp, Chief of the Greer, SC Police Department for the last 13 years appointed Columbia's new Chief of Police and is expected to begin sometime in June 2004

Place of birth: He is a native of Asheville, N.C.

Professional experience: Chief, Greer Police Department, 1991-2004; major, Buncombe County (N.C.) Sheriff’s Department, 1988-1991; captain, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, 1986-1988; detective, Asheville, N.C., Police Department, 1978-1986

Education: Master of public affairs, Western Carolina University; bachelor of science, Western Carolina University

Personal: Married, twin sons who are high school seniors