Kemp to retire as Hartsville police chief
By JIM FAILE
Hartsville Police Chief Tim Kemp said Friday he will retire as police chief after nine years in the position.
Kemp, who has been with the Hartsville Police Department for nearly 28 years, will serve finish out his service as chief on Feb. 11.
“Chief Kemp came up through the ranks and has given unwavering service to our citizens and our community his entire career,” said Hartsville Mel Pennington. “On behalf of the citizens of Hartsville and our city council, I want to thank the chief for his dedicated law enforcement career.”
Kemp was out of the office Friday and could not be reached for comment. He also did not attend a retreat for city council members and city department heads on Friday. Hartsville City Manager Natalie Zeigler said he was scheduled to be back at work on Monday.
Chief Deputy Jerry Thompson of the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office will serve as interim police chief while Zeigler looks for a replacement for Kemp.
“I want to thank Sheriff Wayne Byrd and his staff for assisting the City of Hartsville as we search for a permanent replacement,” Zeigler said.
Zeigler met with Thompson Friday afternoon to discuss the transition.
Zeigler said the city will begin its search for a new chief quickly and said she hopes to name someone to the position as soon as possible.
Kemp was promoted to chief of the department from assistant chief on Jan. 30, 2002. He replaced former Chief John R. Powell, who resigned in November of 2001 to take a job as police chief in Wilson, N.C.
Kemp was one of 100 applicants for the Hartsville job.
At the time that he promoted Kemp to chief, then City Manager Jim Pennington said: “Chief Kemp brings valuable experience and knowledge of the department that will be beneficial to the long-term progress of policing in Hartsville. Chief Kemp also brings stability to the department’s leadership that I believe is necessary at this time.”
At the time of his promotion, Kemp said becoming chief had been one of his career goals. “I think, like all officers, you aspire to be everything you can be,” he said in an interview with The Messenger at the time.
“As I got closer, it became a goal to become chief. I think we all look forward to being at the top of anything we do.”
As a captain with the police department, Kemp was one of three finalists for the position of chief in 1999 following the resignation of former Chief Chris Herring, who left to take the top cop job in Salisbury, N.C.
Kemp was serving as interim chief at the time. Powell got the job, however, and one week later, Kemp was promoted to assistant chief.
Kemp began his career in law enforcement as a patrol officer with the McBee Police Department in 1980. In 1982, he moved to the Camden Police Department as a patrol officer.
He came to work for the Hartsville Police Department as a patrol officer on May 30, 1983. In 1984, he was promoted to corporal and later acting sergeant, and in 1985, he was promoted to full sergeant.
In 1990, he was promoted to lieutenant and was promoted to captain in 1996. He served as acting chief of the department from November of 1995 to January of 1996 following the retirement of former Public Safety Director Richard Ritch.
Kemp earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Florence-Darlington Technical College in 1999 and a bachelor’s degree from Coker College in 2001.