Lancaster, SC, police chief put on paid administrative leave without explanation
The police chief in this South Carolina city has been placed on paid administrative leave, and city officials won’t say why.
The action involving Chief Scott Grant of the Lancaster Police Department is a personnel matter, city Administrator Flip Hutfles said in a statement released by the city.
“As of Friday, April 30, 2021, Lancaster Police Chief Scott Grant has been placed on paid administrative leave until further notice. Under the Police Department operating chain of command, Patrol Captain Phillip Hall is the officer-in-charge. As is standard procedure for the City of Lancaster in such employee matters the City will not be releasing any additional details at this time.”
Details about why the chief was put on leave were not released, and it is unclear how long the leave will last.
Chief is longtime officer
Grant has been chief since 2017. He has been with the department for more than 20 years and was with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office before that, according to the city’s website.
The placing of Grant on leave comes as others in the community have rallied behind him. An online petition on Change.org in support of Grant has more than 200 signatures. The petition states Grant has been the subject of a “witch hunt” after decades of service to the public.
The petition urges city officials to keep Grant as chief.
Lancaster Mayor Alston Devenny declined to comment on the status of Grant in a phone interview with The Herald. Devenny said the issue is a personnel matter.
Devenny did say public safety is being handled and the residents of the city should know the police department is operating properly to protect the public.
Efforts by The Herald to reach Grant on Friday afternoon were unsuccessful.
Racial unrest in Lancaster
The city has been in the midst of racial turmoil for months after more than 20 Black residents claimed in February and March an officer targeted African-Americans in traffic stops. The officer was placed on leave earlier this year and city officials hired a consultant to review the issue after complaints from residents and the NAACP, city officials said.
Earlier this week, a volunteer Lancaster County fire chief was suspended after making racially insensitive remarks on Facebook about police and Black people. McDonald Green Volunteer Fire Department Chief Francis “Butch” Ghent resigned Friday afternoon after he was suspended for two weeks as the fire department investigates.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 3:09 PM.
