LAKE CITY, S.C (WBTW) — Jody Cooper, Lake City’s police chief and deputy city administrator, resigned from both positions on Monday, according to city spokesperson Donna Tracy.

This is the second time Cooper has resigned as police chief. He resigned in 2016 for reasons that were not disclosed.

According to Tracy, Cooper’s resignation was effective on Monday. Tracy said no one is operating as the acting chief and the city is beginning the process to search for a new police chief.

Cooper became Lake City’s permanent police chief in 2021 and assumed the role of deputy city administrator in July 2022.

According to a Facebook post from Lake City, Cooper participated in an extensive interview process for the police chief’s job that began in December 2020 and included an interview panel made up of Lake City’s executive management team, which found him “knowledgeable, prepared and highly motivated” to serve the law enforcement needs of the community.

Since 2016, Cooper has served as an investigator, training officer and gang intervention coordinator with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, according to the post.

Cooper is a native of Lake City and previously served as the city’s police chief from 2014-2016. He also worked for the department from 2006-2013 and several years prior to that.

He also has worked for the Columbia and Andrews police departments.

Count on News13 for updates.

Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13’s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylor’s work here.