Laurens Police Chief Keith Grounsell has Resigned

Laurens Police Chief Keith Grounsell resigned his position effective March 6, 2024.

Grounsell, accepted the position as Chief of Police in late July 2022, succeeding the previous chief, Chrissie Latimore, who was appointed U.S. Marshal for the District of South Carolina by President Joe Biden.

While his tenure may have been short, the department under his leadership accomplished many things. Grounsell leaves behind a fully staffed department, increased community outreach and most recently has established the Office of Investigative Technologies and Intelligence to harness the use of technology to fight crime.

While Grounsell has not stated specifically his future plans, he has indicated that after almost 26 years in law enforcement he is excited about opportunities in the private sector.

During this time of transition, Mayor Senn has designated Capt. Heath Copeland as the Acting Chief of Police.

In a social media post, Grounsell thanked a citizen for kind words and stated, “It truly was a pleasure to evolve an agency so much so fast to best serve the citizens. I give all the credit to my hard working team. They are in good hands with Captain (Interim Chief Heath Copeland) who is a lifelong Laurens County Resident and good Christian man.”