NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess spoke to News 2’s Carolyn Murray on Tuesday to explain why he is the most qualified in the race for mayor of the city he’s been serving for years.

While Chief Burgess said he has never run for political office, he has lived in North Charleston throughout his life and served as a law enforcement officer under each of the city’s mayors.

“I have worked for every mayor in the City of North Charleston’s history. Mayor Bourne, Mayor Kinard, and Mayor Summey – one thing that me and those mayors have in common, those mayors come to work from Monday through Friday for 52 weeks a year.”

“I’m a worker, they are workers,” he added. “I don’t work part-time. They don’t work part-time. So, if I don’t have institutional knowledge and being here with them, working the same times they work and even more, then maybe I was dreaming.”

Chief Burgess went on to talk about North Charleston’s image and how he plans to eliminate the city’s food deserts. You can watch the full interview above.

Prior to officially announcing his bid for mayor, Chief Burgess said that he will retire as police chief on May 1.