CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A vote happening Tuesday afternoon would confirm Chito Walker as the Charleston Police Department’s new leader.

Charleston City Council is expected to vote and approve Walker as the new chief of police during a scheduled city council meeting at 5:00 p.m.

It comes after Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg announced the selection of Walker to serve as the department’s leader last week.

Walker began working as interim police chief over the summer while the city embarked on a nationwide search for a new chief with help from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). That search was ultimately narrowed to five potential candidates, including three from within the Charleston Police Department.

A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Walker began his law enforcement career with the Charleston Police Department in 2000 and was later promoted to deputy chief in March 2020.

He served in various roles including patrolman, detective, SWAT team operator, and supervisor. Deputy Chief Walker currently serves as the Commander of the Procedural Justice and Community Policing Bureau.

The search for a new department leader follows the May 2023 passing of Chief Luther Reynolds following a battle with a rare form of bone cancer.