The Town of South Congaree in Lexington County has selected a new police chief after going a few months without one.

Carl "CJ" Quinlan was appointed as the town’s new chief of police during a special called meeting on Jan. 28.

The vote to appoint Quinlan was unanimous among town council, which includes Mayor Cindy Campbell, Mayor Pro-Tem Kitty Spires and councilmembers Brian Jackson, Dwayne Prosser and Debbie McIver.

Former Police Chief Steven Jonas retired from the town in September 2025, according to a Facebook post from the town, after being involved in a car wreck in August. The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Jonas suffered a transient ischemic attack, essentially a mini stroke, at the time of the crash.

Jonas had been with the town since 2002. He was appointed as police chief in August 2024. Before working for the town, he served in the Town of Lexington’s police department.

“The vision for our town is to promote our police department, to change our image, to be more professional and more community oriented,” WIS reported Campbell saying at the meeting. “Tonight’s decision was definitely a big step forward for our town.”

The next South Congaree Town Council meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17. Quinlan is scheduled to be sworn in at that meeting. Council meets on the third Tuesday of each month in the courtroom at town hall at 6 p.m., located at 119 West Berry Rd. in West Columbia.

The town, which is next to the Town of Pine Ridge, is home to almost 2,000 people, according to the most recent Census data.