COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A Columbia city councilman is resurrecting a proposal that Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott run the city’s police department.
Councilman Cameron Runyan says Lott runs one of the best law enforcement agencies in the state and could help the scandal ridden department in South Carolina’s largest city.
Columbia is looking for a police chief and a State Law Enforcement Division investigation of interim chief Ruben Santiago found he wasn’t completely forthcoming during a recent investigation of the department.
Lott says he will only run Columbia police if he gets complete control. The sheriff says this is the fifth time in less than 20 years he has been approached about combining the agencies.
In 2010, the Columbia City Council voted 4-3 against turning the police department over to the sheriff.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.