City of Charleston appoints Deputy Chief Jerome Taylor as Interim Police Chief

Deputy Chief Jerome Taylor of the City of Charleston Police Department has been appointed by Mayor John Tecklenburg as Interim Police Chief. Current Chief Gregory Mullen, who has served in the post since 2006, recently announced that he would be retiring from the force effective August 1 after a 35 year career in law enforcement.
Taylor has served in law enforcement for more than 40 years, most recently as Commander of the Investigations and Community Outreach Bureau of the CPD. He has also served the department as Commander of Operations Bureau, Commander of Special Operations Bureau, Commander of Central Investigations Division, Commander of Uniform Patrol, Deputy Bureau Commander Administrative Services Bureau and SWAT Team Commander.
Throughout his career, Deputy Chief Taylor has remained committed to strengthening collaboration between community members and their law enforcement officials to overcome challenges and help build safe, healthy neighborhoods, stated a press release.
Mayor Tecklenburg said, “Public safety is the first job of government and, for over 40 years, it has been the first job of Jerome Taylor. I know that our city will be in good hands under his guidance as Interim Police Chief.”
Deputy Chief Taylor served in Vietnam during his time in the United States Navy and continued his services in the Navy Reserves Forces until being recalled to active duty during Desert Shield/Storm. He has been awarded several military commendations throughout his career and eventually retired as Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy.
“Jerome Taylor has continually proven his dedication to the City of Charleston throughout his time with the department,” said Chief Mullen. “In this new role, I know that he will continue to serve the department with the same sense of drive and determination that he’s displayed during his entire career.”
“It is an honor to be called on by Mayor Tecklenburg to lead the Charleston Police Department as Interim Police Chief,” stated Taylor. “I look forward to serving the Charleston community in this capacity, alongside the extraordinary men and women of the CPD.”
Taylor will become Interim Chief upon Mullen’s upcoming retirement on August 1, as the city conducts a national search for a permanent police chief.
During Chief Mullen’s tenure with CPD, he has led a number of new crime prevention and community policing initiatives, while overseeing one of the most difficult times in city history - the response to the Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church shootings, as well as the investigation and court proceedings that followed.
“Few police officers of Chief Mullen’s generation have achieved so much -- and fewer still have done so while winning the near-universal admiration and respect of the city and citizens they serve,” added Mayor Tecklenburg. “As I have often said, Chief Mullen has the head and the heart to get the job done, while building strong and enduring relationships with the community he’s sworn to protect…For more than a decade, (he) has led the Charleston Police Department with professionalism, dignity, compassion and grace. And he has done it while keeping our city secure, our citizens safe and our community united.”