Ron Camacho to be sworn in as new North Charleston police chief

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — North Charleston will soon have a new top law enforcement officer as Ron Camacho is officially sworn in as police chief.

Camacho, the former police chief for the Chambersburg Police Department in Pennsylvania, is set to take his oath of office during an 11 a.m. ceremony at North Charleston City Hall on Monday, December 9.

The ceremony comes just over a month after North Charleston mayor and former NCPD chief Reggie Burgess selected Camacho to lead the department.

“Chief Camacho is a dedicated and visionary leader who understands the needs of our diverse community,” said Burgess. “We are excited to welcome him to North Charleston and look forward to his contributions to making our city safer and stronger.”

Camacho brings nearly three decades of law enforcement experience with him, having served not only as chief but also as a patrol operations captain with the York, Pa. Police Department, a police advisor in Afghanistan, and a deputy program manager on a training contract for the U.S. State Department in New Mexico.

He graduated from the 239th session of the FBI National Academy. He holds a Doctorate in Criminal Justice from Penn West University and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University.

A nationwide search for a new police chief began this summer after former Chief Greg Gomes announced he would retire at the end of June, after serving as the department’s leader for only about a year.

Camacho was one of six finalists — selected from an initial pool of 34 applicants — up for consideration for the position. The list of finalists included two people from within the department, one from the City of Charleston, and two others from police departments across the country.

Monday’s ceremony is open to the public.