Hanahan Hires New Police Chief

Hanahan City Council voted unanimously Thursday to hire the city's new police chief.

Michael Cochran, an assistant chief in Lauderhill, Fla., will begin work Nov. 28, according to City Administrator Johnny Cribb.

The council spent two evenings interviewing six candidates before a unanimous vote to hire Cochran, a 20-year veteran of the police force, including 17 years in Lauderhill.

Cochran will oversee 34 officers with a $3 million budget. Hanahan Police Chief Donald Wilcox retired in July after 24 years with the department. There were

Cochran actually began his police service in Hanahan two decades ago and told Patch on Friday afternoon that he always enjoyed the area.

With two small children, ages 3 and 8, Cochran said he's looking forward to bringing them to the Lowcountry. He noted that Florida has been great, but he was drawn by the schools and neighborhoods in Hanahan.

"It's everything I wanted in a community," he said.

Cribb said that Cochran stood out because of his experience in Florida and is confident in his ability to have a department focused on community policing.

The council and Cochran was the only finalist from outside of the area.

The other finalists included three Hanahan Police lieutenants: John Blackmon, Mike Fowler and Mike Patterson; as well as retired Charleston County Sheriff's Capt. Joyce Kephart-Adair and Moncks Corner Police Lt. Michael Roach.