The  Town of Pine Ridge released a statement regarding its police chief and a lieutenant in the police department, Thursday.

The Town of Pine Ridge Police Chief Nicholas “Nick” Scott was  named as the town’s new police chief in the last week of April.

The release is below:

“Effective Thursday, the Town of Pine Ridge accepted the voluntary resignations of Chief Nicholas Scott and Lieutenant Joshua Starkey. It is the Town’s policy to not publicly discuss personnel matters and as a result it will not speak any further on the employment of these gentlemen. The Town of Pine Ridge Police Department will continue to operate with back-up from Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, as has always occurred. Mayor Robert Wells, the Town of Pine Ridge Council, and the Pine Ridge Police Department will continue to focus on the safety and welfare of the citizens of this town.”

In late March, the Town of Pine Ridge announced it was no longer employing Pine Ridge interim Police Chief Eddie Powell and Police Officer Johnathan Carswell.

The two were separated from the department at an impromptu Pine Ridge Town Council meeting.

Demotion, discipline or release of an employee were items included on the executive session agenda that was published before the meeting on the night the officers were separated from the department.

Scott joined Pine Ridge after serving the City of Columbia Police Department for 10 years. A native of the Columbia area, Chief Scott joined the Columbia Police Department in 2008 and served most recently as Sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division. Nicholas was responsible for overseeing Columbia’s Crime Scene Unit.