After summer of pandemic, protests and unrest, Greenville names new police chief

Greenville’s new police chief is J.H. “Howie” Thompson, who has served as interim chief since December.

Thompson joined the Greenville Police Department in 1997 after four years with the Mauldin Police Department.

His promotion was announced in a surprise ceremony at the Greenville County Law Enforcement Center on Friday afternoon.

Thompson was not considered a candidate for chief when the city began its nationwide search in February, but his time as interim chief convinced City Manager John McDonough he was right for the job.

“If you look at the list of ‘must-have’ qualities and attributes we included in our recruitment packet, you’ll find that Howie Thompson checks all the boxes,” McDonough said in a news release.

He said Thompson was “uniquely qualified” and praised his work with a citizens advisory panel, which this week made recommendations to improve the workings of the police force. One of the citizens panel’s recommendations was to name a permanent chief.

Former Chief Ken Miller resigned in December 2019 after a State Law Enforcement Division investigation into his decision to drop a DUI charge against a Greenville businessman. SLED determined he had the right to drop the charge but Miller had lied to them.

Thompson has served in just about all divisions on the force, from patrol to SWAT to investigations. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Criminal Justice degree from Anderson University.

This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 2:10 PM.