ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The town of Springfield has a new police chief after its former chief was accused of taking bribes to help people get federal visas.
This allegation is part of the seven South Carolina officers, all working in Orangeburg County, who were indicted last month.
Springfield Mayor Ed Furtick announced the new police chief to be Timothy Wilke.
Wilke has over 35 years of experience in law enforcement, most recently working for Pelion and Gaston Police Departments holding various positions both in patrol and investigations.
Wilke says they have already begun making changes to the department. One change being a more rigorous background check that new candidates will go through as well as everyone currently employed.
“My goal is to rebuild the infrastructure of the department. And obviously without a doubt we want to reestablish a really good rapport with the community," Wilke told us. "You know after something like that, it’s devastating. So what we really want to do is just get back out there, get with the businesses, get with the residents and try to establish a really good relationship.”
While Wilke wouldn’t address the incident that got him this new job, he did say that all he can do now is keep moving forward. He said he wants to create the wheel in a more efficient manner for the Springfield Police Department.