West Columbia Police Chief to retire after 37 years of service
July 21, 2021
After 37 years of dedicated service to the West Columbia Police Department, Chief Dennis Tyndall is announcing his retirement. Chief Tyndall will remain with the Police Department during the search for the next Police Chief.
Chief Tyndall began his career with the City of West Columbia in 1984 as a Patrolman and worked his way up through the ranks becoming the Chief of Police in 1997, making him the longest-serving police chief for the City of West Columbia. He is responsible for bringing the West Columbia Police Department into the 20th century by changing the way the department functioned by integrating technology into policing before anyone else in the state.
Over the years, Chief Dennis Tyndall has achieved many awards and been recognized for his accomplishments including:
1989 – Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, Cayce West Columbia Optimist Club
1995 – FBI National Academy Graduate, Session 183
1995 – President of the Lexington County Law Enforcement Officers Association
2004 – Sworn in as a US Deputy Marshal for the Operation Intercept Joint Fugitive Task Force
2007 – Municipal Achievement Award, Municipal Association of South Carolina
2007 – Santee Cooper Award of Excellence
2008 – Founded West Columbia Police Officers Foundation
2008 – Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association
2008 – Alltel Crime Prevention Award, South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association
2008 – Recognized by Harvard University’s ASH INSTITUTE for Democratic Governance and Innovation for the top 50 Most Innovative Police Departments in the United States of America
2009 – Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement
West Columbia Police Chief Dennis Tyndall said, “Serving the City of West Columbia as Police Chief for 24 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has been an honor to lead one of the best groups of professional law enforcement officers and staff in the state of South Carolina. I look forward to assisting the City during the transitional process as they bring on a new Chief.”
Chief Dennis Tyndall is an active member of the FBI National Academy Associates, Lexington County Law Enforcement Officers Association (Life Member), South Carolina Police Chiefs Association, South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (Life Member). He currently serves on the Lexington County Narcotics Enforcement Team (Board Member) and the West Columbia Police Officers Foundation (Founder & Board Member).
