Chris Watts was appointed Chief of Police for the Rock Hill Police Department in January 2013.  He began his law enforcement career with the Rock Hill Police Department in July 1988 as a patrol officer.

Throughout his career, Chief Watts has progressed through the ranks of the department while serving in a variety of roles. His first assignment was in Uniform Patrol Division, followed by a position in the Special Operations Unit within the same division. He was later transferred to the Narcotics Unit.  In 1991, he was promoted to Special Investigator in the Detective Division’s Stolen Property Unit, which operated an undercover store front buying stolen property. At the conclusion of the undercover operation, he was assigned to the Crimes Against Property Unit.

In 1994, Chief Watts was promoted to Master Police Officer, serving as a first-line supervisor in both Uniform Patrol and Traffic Unit. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1997 and Lieutenant in 1999, both within the Uniform Patrol Division. In 2001, he was transferred to the Professional Standards Unit, which included Internal Affairs, Personnel, and Training.  He was promoted to Captain in 2008, where he was assigned to the Support Services Division, which included the Professional Standards Unit, Community Services Unit, Evidence, Jail, Records, Telecommunications and the department’s Budget Management.

Chief Watts served on the department’s SWAT Team for ten years, including four years as Team Leader.  He has been a certified Firearms Instructor and a Traffic Reconstructionist. In 1999, he graduated from the FBI Hazardous Devices school as a certified Bomb Technician and went on to establish the department’s first Bomb Squad where he served as Squad Commander.

He is a graduate of the 206^th Session of the FBI National Academy, the 76^th Session of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, and the 77^th Session of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.

Chief Watts currently serves as Chairman for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation Council as well as Vice President for the South Carolina Police Chief Association. He is an active member of the FBI National Academy Associates, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association.

Chief Watts holds an Associates of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina Lancaster and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Anderson University.