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I know there remain challenges in providing law enforcement services in a fast-growing county. I want to continue to work with our proven, professional law enforcement team at the Sheriff's Department to provide effective and efficient law enforcement services for citizens in Lexington County. As a result of the hard work done by our law enforcement team, the number of major crimes that were reported to the Sheriff's Department decreased by 18 percent in 2003, compared with 2002. Statistics compiled by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division show that we enforce accountability in management.
During my three decades of service as
sheriff, the Sheriff's Department has established a reputation for
innovation and excellence in law enforcement. Our agency was the first
sheriff's office in South Carolina to
use many new law enforcement tools, such as video cameras in patrol
cars, DNA evidence, psychological profiles and a comprehensive treatment
program for people who have been arrested for criminal domestic
violence. I also was the first sheriff in the nation to earn a doctorate
while in office. I have the knowledge and experience needed to provide
the high level of law enforcement professionalism that citizens demand.
The
major challenge facing our agency is providing additional services for a
growing population without receiving additional appropriations from county
government. I have responded to that challenge by aggressively pursuing
donations from the business community, such as money to help start a
school resource officer program and furniture for regional patrol district
headquarters. Our agency also obtained grants from the federal government
to create a team of three deputies to strictly enforce the state’s driving
under the influence law and to help finance the school resource officer
program. A federal grant also was obtained to create a team of two
detectives and one lawyer to investigate and prosecute cases involving
people who have been arrested for criminal domestic violence.
Under
my leadership, the Sheriff's Department has worked to build partnerships
with citizens in communities across Lexington County. The Sheriff’s
Department conducts Citizens' Academy and Advanced Citizens' Academy
programs that enable citizens to get an in-depth, first-hand look at
our agency’s operations. Citizens also can make arrangements to ride with
a deputy assigned to road patrol. Fourteen resident deputies regularly arrange community meetings to discuss criminal activity and crime prevention initiatives. Those deputies have helped organize 52 Neighborhood Crime Watch groups that report criminal activity to law enforcement in Lexington County. In order to reduce the amount of time that it takes deputies to respond to calls for help from citizens, our agency implemented a regional patrol district concept that enables deputies on road patrol to quickly and efficiently respond to calls for service. Deputies are placed in the areas where they are most urgently needed. The regional patrol concept also will allow for expansion of road patrols as warranted by a growing population. In addition, it increases accountability because citizens can contact the commander of the patrol region where they live about community problems, such as drug dealing, burglaries, car break-ins and littering. The Sheriff’s Department has a North Region patrol district, based in Irmo; a South Region patrol district, based in Gaston; and a West Region patrol district, based in Batesburg-Leesville. Two resident deputies work alternating shifts in Chapin to provide enhanced law enforcement services in that community. Council Praises Sheriff's Department
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