By Martine Miller, Town of Mount Pleasant Communications Manager
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (March 12, 2021) – Mount Pleasant Deputy Chief Mark Arnold has been selected to head the Mount Pleasant Police Department, following the upcoming retirement of Police Chief Carl Ritchie after 32 years of service to the community. Chief Arnold brings 25 years of experience in law enforcement, all spent with the Mount Pleasant Police Department.
“Mark possesses the education, experience, and skills to serve successfully as Mount Pleasant’s police chief. He understands our community and shares Town Council’s belief in the importance of maintaining a safe community,” said Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Eric DeMoura.
“I am honored by the opportunity to further serve the Town of Mount Pleasant and a police department I have dedicated my professional career to promoting,” said Chief Arnold. “I am grateful for the Mayor and Town Council’s support, which along with our Town Administrator’s commitment, have allowed our personnel to deliver superior performance to the community we are sworn to protect and assist.”
Chief Arnold began his career in law enforcement with the Mount Pleasant Police Department as a patrol officer in 1995. He was promoted to detective in 1997 and to corporal in 2001. From 2003 through 2013, over the course of his tenure as sergeant, Chief Arnold acquired a large breadth of knowledge as supervisor of the Criminal Investigations Bureau and Patrol Division. He held the position of Career Development Supervisor where he developed and conducted training programs consistent with national, state, and departmental standards. More recently, Chief Arnold served as the accreditation manager for the Police Department, which is nationally accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Chief Arnold was promoted to Lieutenant in 2013 and supervised the Office of Professional Standards. A year later, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and managed the Field Operations Bureau and the Support Services Bureau. He was promoted to Deputy Chief in July 2020.
Chief Arnold holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the Citadel and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Charleston Southern University. His specialized education and training include graduation from Department of Homeland Security Leadership Academy, Southern Police Institute Administrative Officers Course, and the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.