Disgraced Police Chief Returns To Law Enforcement

A former police chief has returned to law enforcement — as a police chief — following sustained allegations of sexual harassment and predatory stalking, according to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA).

Despite the existence of an internal affairs investigation enumerating his myriad depravities, chief Christoper “Chris” Griffin, 49, was promoted to the highest-ranking officer of Jamestown, S.C., within four months of absconding from a department he exploited for at least six years.

Now five weeks after his confounding appointment by mayor Roy P. Pipkin, chief Griffin remains the sole sworn officer with jurisdiction over a speed-trap town overseeing 68 constituents scattered across the rural intersection of S.C. Highway 41 and U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Berkeley County, S.C.

“He openly talks about his accusers,” said former Jamestown police chief April Zakis. “When he first came to the office for his interview, he started showing me pictures of a victim… he’s a backstabber, and he’ll do whatever it takes to wear that badge that says chief.”

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THE INVESTIGATION

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As previously reported in our two-part series entitled ‘Pervert on Patrol,’ chief Griffin resigned from that same position in Sullivan’s Island, S.C., after being placed on administrative leave for exhibiting retaliatory behavior amid an internal affairs investigation launched in December 2023.

“The town attempted to leave Griffin on duty,” wrote human resource (HR) manager Pam Otto in a graphic report provided to FITSNews. “Out of concern that Chief Griffin’s behavior might escalate… the town placed Griffin on Administrative leave effective January 1, 2024.”

According to Otto, multiple witnesses attested to chief Griffin’s infatuation with a female subordinate hired to the department in August 2023. They furthermore confirmed the existence of town policy violations caused by flagrant abuse of taxpayer-funded technology.

“When Officer [redacted] was scheduled to… provide the details of her complaint, chief Griffin used the internal surveillance camera to watch her come into the Human Resources area, and then he appeared outside the office, peering through the glass window (sic),” reported Otto.

During the town’s investigation, multiple sources familiar with the Sullivan’s Island Police Department (SIPD) contacted FITSNews—alleging that chief Griffin was logging into body-worn and dash-mounted police cameras to stalk his subordinates remotely.

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RELATED | PERVERT ON PATROL

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They furthermore accused the officer of surveilling a female employee and her adolescent children. The rumors were eventually confirmed when chief Griffin’s unmarked Ford Expedition was observed outside her home, according to Otto’s five-page investigation.

“His general response was that everyone was lying,” deduced Otto after interviewing Griffin. “The comments [he] is alleged to have made to witnesses are reminiscent of the messages he admitted to having sent to the plaintiffs of a recent lawsuit (sic).”

According to Otto, both Griffin and his township contributed to a monetary settlement in 2019 — after the officer was sued for sending 21 sexually explicit text messages to multiple women during a leadership conference hosted by the S.C. Police Chiefs Association (SCPCA).

While Griffin was permanently banned from the SCPCA, the lawsuit alleged that former Sullivans Island town administrator Andy Benke failed to investigate the matter until formal complaints were filed. His belated inquest was said to have resulted in no disciplinary action whatsoever. 

“The reports of sexual harassment and creating an inappropriate workplace environment in violation of town policy are sustained,” concluded Otto in February 2024. “Griffin resigned… prior to the town council meeting at which the above investigation was to be presented.”

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A RETURN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT… 

In the immediate aftermath of Chief Griffin’s resignation on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the township approved a $10,000 payout to the scandal-scarred officer — to “avoid the incursion of unnecessary cost and expenses,” according to mayor pro tempore Justin Novak.

Shortly thereafter, SIPD interim chief Glenn Meadows was unanimously appointed as the highest-ranking officer of Sullivan’s Island. He was thereupon tasked with rebuilding the department his predecessor had defiled for years and years and years and years.

Within 24 hours, Meadows published the department’s first-ever mission statement and core values. The following Monday, he notified the SCCJA of Griffin’s resignation and forwarded the town’s investigative findings and conclusion to academy personnel. 

“I cannot condone any activity that erodes public trust or internal employee trust,” Meadows wrote in an email to FITSNews. “The sustained allegations against the former chief are in no way representative of who we are as a Department, as public servants, or as individuals.”

According to Meadows, civilians deserve to know the merits and demerits of their law enforcement. He furthermore noted that SIPD is fully staffed with 12 personnel—and continues to improve its services through the acquisition of updated technology and relevant training. 

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RELATED | PERVERT ON PATROL PT. II

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“The Sullivan’s Island Police Department has obviously gone through a period of transition and is now thriving,” continued Meadows. “I am very proud of who we have become since taking my oath of office. Every member has contributed to making our reputation positive.”

Despite Chief Meadows’ achievements, his predecessor was inexplicably allowed to return to law enforcement as his separation from SIPD did not involve misconduct. He was subsequently hired as a Jamestown Police Department (JPD) officer on May 2, 2024.

“I’ve been feeling like crap for that,” said Zakis after resigning as the highest-ranking officer of JPD one month later. “When I brought Chris [Griffin] in for an interview, the mayor [Pipkin] told him, ‘What we do here is write tickets. So you got to get out there and write tickets! Period.’”

According to Zakis, Pipkin was not only apprised of the nature of Griffin’s resignation from SIPD, but was supplied with at least two copies of the town’s investigation. She furthermore claims to have been forced into hiring the disgraced officer.

“I eventually spoke with Glenn Meadows,” continued Zakis. “When I told him I was completing the hiring process for Chris Griffin, he seemed very upset… I told him this is what mayor Pipkin wanted… he said, ‘The media will be there soon enough.’ And I said, ‘They need to be!’”

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PERVERT ON PATROL

According to public servants, Chief Griffin basked in the author’s original coverage of his now-sustained depravities. He is furthermore said to have shared at least one installment of ‘Pervert on Patrol’ through his personal Snapchat account: @Pilot0911.

“He actually sent me a link to your article,” said Zakis. “He was like, ‘Look at this bullshit they’re writing about me. This is almost hysterical.’ And then he said, ‘I don’t even care because there’s no truth to it.’ So I reminded him that he resigned under investigation.”

While purportedly boasting about his coverage on FITSNews, sources maintain that Griffin was professing his innocence while claiming to be the victim of an SIPD coup. 

“He kept saying that he was going to take all his information to the news,” continued Zakis. “Of course, I knew he wasn’t going to do it because his side of the story was nonsense… His first two victims were complete strangers. Then there’s [victim three], [victim four] and [victim five].”

Despite his history, Griffin joined mayor Pipkin’s severely underfunded department within three months of resigning as chief in Sullivan’s Island. JPD thereupon failed to provide him with a uniform, functional body-worn camera or fully functional patrol vehicle.

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“I really tried to make JPD a legit department,” said Zakis. “There’s a lot of young, impressionable girls who work at the Circle K. They trust the police because of me… and if we know anything about Chris Griffin, he will take advantage of that and it scares me.”

After breaking the news of ‘Pervert on Patrol’ with her constituency, Zakis resigned as the highest-ranking officer of Jamestown on June 11, 2024. She thereupon returned to the private sector, leaving Griffin as the only available officer to assume her position.

“I was done with watching law enforcement turn a blind eye to corrupt cops,” continued Zakis. “I didn’t want to leave Jamestown high and dry, but when mayor Pipkin started treating Chris like God, I was like, ‘Alright then. Y’all can have yall’s God. I’m out.’”

As the sole officer of Jamestown, Chief Griffin holds unregulated access to the department’s arsenal of three semi-automatic Glock 23 handguns, two fully automatic M4A1 rifles provided by the government’s 1033 Program, and one semi-automatic SKS rifle.

“Chris Griffin is in a corrupt little town where he needs to be,” concluded Zakis. “I appreciate knowing that he is the liar and the pervert that everyone has said him to be. And I appreciate knowing that Jamestown will remain a speed trap town where people get their dope.”

Mayor Pipkin has yet to respond to multiple requests for comment. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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