BEAUFORT, S.C. (May 24, 2024) – Stephenie Price has been selected as the new police chief for the City of Beaufort. She will be sworn in on May 31.
Chief Price has been interim chief of the Police Department since Jan. 22, following the retirement of Dale McDorman.
Chief Price was selected following an extensive nationwide executive search. She was one of two finalists who were interviewed by a citizens panel and City Council on Friday, May 17. The interviews were streamed live on Facebook. Members of the public were invited to view via Zoom.
"We trusted our selection process and it yielded two very highly qualified finalists, each capable of successfully leading our Police Department,” said City Manager Scott Marshall. “It was not an easy decision, but in the end the successful community outreach programs and crime abatement initiatives under her leadership, along with the community's familiarity with her, gave Stephenie the edge.”
Chief Price said, “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the chief of police for the City of Beaufort. My heartfelt thanks go out to the selection committee, City officials, and the community for their unwavering support and trust in our organization and in me.
“Our mission is to increase community engagement and communication while ensuring the safety of all our residents and visitors. We will enhance our training programs, support mental health and well-being, and actively listen to the concerns of our community,” Price added. “Building strong, trust-based relationships is essential to our success through the values of accessibility, accountability, and transparency. We will work tirelessly to address your concerns, reduce crime, and create a community where everyone feels safe and valued.”
Price joined the department as deputy chief in February 2023, after serving as Town of Bluffton police chief and as an assistant police chief for the Savannah, Ga., Police Department.
Chief Price spent most of her earlier career with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, which she joined in 1999. She rose to the rank of commander by 2019. In Kansas City, she worked in financial services, drug enforcement, vice, domestic violence, and internal affairs.
Since joining the Beaufort PD, Price has begun initiatives bolstering community relations, youth engagement, crime prevention, and transparency and communication.
Among the new initiatives:
- Safe Living Beaufort, which began in August 2023, has led to a dramatic decrease in shots fired reports and various offenses at several apartment complexes in the City of Beaufort.
- A mental health clinician, a new position, works with officers to respond appropriately to people in crisis during calls.
- Future Guardians Initiative, which begins this summer, is a program for youth interested in police careers.
In addition, department staffing levels have stabilized, with fewer vacancies. At full staffing, the department has 55 officers and six civilians.
“Chief Price’s enthusiasm is contagious, and its positive effect on the department is evident,” Marshall said. “Thanks goes out to the citizen panelists, to Mayor and Council, city staff and many others who provided feedback on our candidates."
Mayor Phil Cromer said, "I think Stephenie Price is a great choice for us and is the right chief at the right time for the city. Her outreach efforts, 'Safe Living Beaufort' program and mental health initiatives have our Police Department headed in the right direction for our community."
Price also expressed her “appreciation to my predecessors for their outstanding service and leadership. Their dedication has established a solid foundation upon which we continue to foster the values of this great community, which we are proud to call home.”
Chief Price earned a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Park University and an MBA from Benedictine University. She is a graduate of the Center for Homeland Defense Executive Leaders Program, the FBI LEEDA Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives, and she recently obtained a certification from the International City Management Association, Local Government 101.
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