Officials don’t elaborate on Randy Scott’s departure
Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott stepped down from his post for an “indefinite” leave of absence Tuesday, city officials said.
While Scott is out, Assistant Chief Ruben Santiago will act as police chief, according to City Manager Teresa Wilson.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Wilson said she wasn’t sure how long Scott’s leave will last, but she expects he’ll resume his role.
“I have every reason to believe that Chief Scott will return to his normal responsibilities as police chief,” Wilson said.
Scott’s request for leave time did not cite a specific reason for his departure, only saying it was a personal matter, Wilson said.
City employees aren’t required to give a more detailed explanation to get time off.
But Wilson said Scott was still in good standing with the city, and he is not being investigated.
“Things come up in anyone’s life,” Wilson said. “There are issues and personal responsibilities and things that people have to deal with.”
Calls to Scott’s cellphone went directly to voice mail Tuesday, and multiple messages were not returned by press time. Police spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons and Mayor Steve Benjamin’s office directed questions to Wilson.
Scott filed his request, which was granted Monday; before then, city officials hadn’t had discussions about the possibility of his leaving, Wilson said.
There’s no formal limit to how long a city employee can remain on leave; it’s evaluated on a case-by-case basis, she said. To return, Scott needs only to notify the city he’s coming back.
While he’s out of the office, Scott will still be paid.
Wilson said she had notified City Council members and Benjamin, who was out of town Tuesday, and they were supportive of granting the leave.
She also said she wasn’t worried about how the police department will fare under Santiago’s interim tenure, emphasizing his experience in law enforcement. He’s worked for Columbia police since December 2010. Scott was hired in October 2010.
This isn’t Santiago’s first time at the helm of the department, though.
Scott retired briefly in January to avoid state retirement benefit cuts, which he described as “the longest 15 days of my life” in a letter to department employees. He was rehired in January and is paid a salary of $112,200 per year.
“There is a level of continuity that I feel absolutely comfortable about,” Wilson said. “Our citizens have come to expect and deserve the highest caliber of service, so nothing will change.”