CAYCE, S.C. — The City of Cayce has announced it has hired a former Richland County deputy chief as its chief of police.
Chris Cowan, a 29-year law enforcement veteran will take over the department in December following the official retirement of the current director of the Cayce Department of Public Safety, Bryon Snellgrove.
Snellgrove announced his retirement in July, after 38 years in South Carolina law enforcement. Cowan and Snellgrove will work together as the City of Cayce works to establish separate police and fire departments. For the last 41 years, public safety housed both police and fire as well as the K-9 operations.
Cowan's extensive resume includes experience leading special operations, crime suppression, community policing and crime prevention units, Homeland Security, and media relations. He is a retired commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, received his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of South Carolina, a master's certificate from the Australian Institute of Police Management, and has graduated from the S.C. Executive Institute and the FBI's National Academy, Command Leadership Institute and Hazardous Devices School Executive Management Program. Cowan has served in multiple law enforcement agencies, including police forces in London, Australia, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, the Rheinland Polizei, and Los Angeles and New York.
Cowan has been named the S.C. Attorney General's Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Southeastern Crimestoppers Coordinator of the Year (twice), Rotarian of the Year (twice), and The American Lawman magazine Officer of the Quarter.
He and his wife have two children and are members of Blythewood Presbyterian Church.
