ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. — The City of the Isle of Palms announced Monday it is has named Springdale Police Chief Kevin Cornett as the city's new police chief.
The City of Isle of Palms said Cornett's first day will be Monday, June 3.
"My wife is from the coast," explained Cornett. "I feel like I've kind of kept her here in the Midlands. She's got family down that way. It's going to be good to take her back and let her get back to her family and be close to the cousins and everything for our kids."
Cornett replaces Captain Kimberly S. Usry, who has been serving as the interim chief of police in Isle of Palms.
"We are excited to welcome Kevin to the City family and look forward to seeing the department flourish under his leadership," said Isle of Palms Mayor Jimmy Carroll.
The City is preparing to hold “Meet & Greets” for the coastal community to meet Chief Cornett.
Cornett has served as Springdale's police chief since 2012, after beginning his law enforcement career with the City of Columbia in 2005.
"When we moved over here to Springdale, to take the chief job, I thought it was just going to be another job but the reality is I got here and this small town community got a hold of me. It quickly went from a job to a family," said Cornett.
The Police Chief says it's going to be tough leaving this community.
"Now I feel almost like that kid who is leaving home for the first time. I'm going out into this wide world that I've gotten to learn about," said Cornett.
Since Cornett has been the chief, the department won Agency of the Year from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety in 2014 for "excelling in the area of DUI arrests, DUI Victim Services, and anti-underage drinking programs in South Carolina."
Cornett says he can't thank the community enough for treating him like family.
"This has been home and I've been in the Midlands since the mid to late 90's and this is the first time I'm going to be moving out of the Midlands so thank you for all you've done for me," said the Police Chief.
Cornett's last day will be May 29th.
As for a replacement for the Town of Springdale, Mayor Michael Bishop says he's talking with the Town Administrator and they're hoping to make the call before Cornett leaves.
Cornett and Bishop have mentioned they both think Lt. Richbourg would be a good replacement.
Bishop says the hope is to promote from within the police department.
Street Squad Lexington will continue to follow this story and will update you once the town has announced who may be come the new police chief in the Town of Springdale.
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