In the early colonial period, police protection for the citizens of Charleston was performed by the Town Watch, a paramilitary unit.[citation needed] After incorporation in 1783, Charleston formally established the City Guard, another paramilitary force.[citation needed] The City Guard helped suppress the 1822 Vesey slave rebellion.[8] From 1846 to 1855, the City Guard was reorganized several times and finally emerged in 1856 as a uniformed police force under the administration of Mayor William Porcher Miles.[9]
The Guard was armed with swords and pistols. It enforced a nine o'clock curfew for African-American residents of the city. Based at the "Guard House" at the corner of Broad and Meeting Streets, the force flogged those out after hours.[8]
Before the close of the Civil War, martial law was enacted in Charleston, and the city police force disbanded. Civil police forces were revived and reorganized, however, in 1865 following the election of P. C. Gaillard. These forces served as a counterpoint to the federal authorities until the end of martial law in 1877.[10]
The election of Mayor W. W. Sale that same year marked the introduction of a city police organizational system of officers and men, divided between the main station and the upper station, a system that was continued by succeeding administrations.
By 1880 the Police Force had, "...one hundred men, including a chief, three to five lieutenants, six to ten sergeants, three to four detectives, and seventy-three to eighty-five privates".[11] On 7 February 1888 a new station was opened at the corner of southeast King and Hutson Streets. In 1895 the State of South Carolina authorities established a metropolitan police and seized control of the organization from January 1896 to 30 September 1897, at which time control was returned to the city. In 1907 a large, modern facility was erected at the northwest corner of Vanderhorst and St. Philip Streets. The police department remained at this location until 1974, at which time they moved to their current location on Lockwood Boulevard.
In July 2011, the department was re-accredited through 2014 with the Accreditation with Excellence Award by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Replacing the former "Flagship Award," the Accreditation with Excellence Award is the highest single-period accreditation award available. The department also received the Meritorious Accreditation Award in 2011, representing at least 15 continuous years of CALEA accreditation.[12][13][14]
The CPD was criticized for its response to the 2020 George Floyd protests in downtown Charleston, which some called insufficient.[15]
According to police, on December 29, 2020, 911 operators received a call at 3:06a.m. which was followed by a second call minutes later regarding a disturbance and domestic violence incident that was occurring at the Bridge View Apartment complex located at 105 N. Romney Street. "CPD officers were dispatched and, upon arrival, shots were exchanged between an individual and the officers," police said. The individual was 28-year-old Charleston native Jason LaTroy "Tank" Cooper. A report states one officer was shot in the chest but sustained non-life-threatening injuries as the officer was wearing a ballistic vest. Investigators said the suspect Jason Cooper was also shot during the incident and later died as a result of the shooting.[16]
On January 19, 2021, Police say a man by the name of Montrez Cyrus Simmons of North Charleston South Carolina was wanted for multiple violent crimes in the Lowcountry including murder and carjackings has been arrested following a chase in the Charleston area which led to the suspect getting shot in an officer-involved shooting. Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds said the man, who has not been identified, is wanted for various crimes including a recent murder in Georgetown, a carjacking in Mount Pleasant that happened on Monday and an armed carjacking that happened earlier this evening in Charleston. Officers located the carjacked vehicle and the suspect Tuesday night, and a short chase ensued which ended in the area of Spruill Avenue and Comstock Avenue. According to Reynolds, at the end of the pursuit, shots were fired and the suspect was transported to a hospital for injuries from a gunshot wound. Reynolds said a gun belonging to the suspect was located and recovered from the scene. Reynolds stressed that it was the second time in weeks that his officers had encountered a violent suspect with a criminal background who was armed. "I want to make this clear. This is important to me to say this publicly. This is the second time my officers in a matter of weeks have encountered a violent suspect with a career violent criminal record who was armed," he said. "Let me say that again. This is the second time in a matter of weeks that my officers have encountered a violent armed criminal offender. We have a serious violent crime problem." The police chief said everyone must continue to work together to help address these crime issues. "I am proud of and thankful that we have police officers throughout this region, not just in the city of Charleston," he said. "Throughout this region, throughout this country that are putting their lives on the line to keep our city safe. They're selfless and they're fighting for others and protecting our citizens who can't fight for themselves."[17] Reynolds said he was pleased to say no more citizens were injured and officers were okay following the Tuesday night incident. "They're safe because this could have had a very different conclusion," he said."This is the second time that we've all stood here for a similar related event." State troopers and SLED agents also responded to the scene. Earlier tonight, viewers reported law enforcement units chasing a car followed by a wreck in a yard. One viewer who captured video of the incident said that someone appeared to be on the ground following the chase with law enforcement units directing traffic away from the scene.[18]
On March 10, 2021, officers were notified of a man walking around the Colonial Grand at Cypress Cove apartment complex with a semi-automatic rifle around 11:00a.m. Neighbors reported that the man was harassing them and trying to get into their home. "He's standing outside our apartment he's actually across from us and he is waving a big gun. It looks like a AK-47 of some sort and I do not feel safe," says a 911 caller. The suspect, who was later identified as George Grayson Sanner (25), barricaded himself inside his apartment when police arrived. After an hour of waiting, Sanner walked out onto his balcony and shot towards an officer. The officer returned fire and Sanner was hit, then taken to the hospital. Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson declined to bring charges against the officer who shot Sanner, noting that Sanner was armed and dangerous and shooting at officers.[19][20]
Organization and Structure
The City of Charleston Police Department is organized and overseen by the Chief of Police, who is in turn appointed by the Mayor. The Mayor is responsible for overseeing the Police Department and transmitting orders and directives from the city council.[21]
Operational Areas
The Charleston Police Department is divided into four Operational Areas,[4] which are under the command of the three main deputy chiefs (except in the case of the Chief of Police's Staff).[21] The four Operational Areas are the Chief of Police Staff, the Bureau of Operations, the Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Procedural Justice and Community Policing.
Operational Area
Commanding officer
Description
Subdivisions
Chiefs Staff
Chief of Police
The Chiefs Staff is directly under the command of the Chief of Police. It is responsible for the administrative functions of the Charleston Police Department.
This Area can be further subdivided into Legal, Administrative Assistant, and the CPAC Liaison.[21]
Bureau of Operations
Deputy Chief of Operations
The Bureau of Operations accounts for the largest Buruea in the CPD, as it is primarily responsible for Patrol. This Bureau is under the command of the Deputy Chief of Operations.
This Area can be further subdivided into Patrol and Special Operations.[21]
Bureau of Investigations
Deputy Chief of Investigations
The Bureau of Investigations is responsible for the prevention, detection, and investigation of Crime. It is under the command of the Deputy Chief of Investigations.
This area can be further subdivided into the Central Investigations Division and the Forensic Services Division.[21]
Bureau of Procedural Justice and Community Policing
Deputy Chief of Procedural Justice and Community Policing
The Bureau of Procedural Justice and Community Policing is responsible for Internal Investigations, administrative duties, and for community outreach.
This area can be further subdivided into the Professional Standards Division, Administrative Services Division, Community Oriented Policing Division, Fleet Operations, Procedural Justice & Research, and Special Projects.[21]
Headquarters Building
The first policing organization in Charleston was the Town Watch. The Town Watch had two main headquarters buildings during their time, the first was located above the Half Moon Battery (today the site of the Exchange and Provost). The second building was located on Broad Street, "...between, the Public Armory, State House, St Michael's, and the Market".[22] In 1838 the City decided that the City Guard (which evolved from the Town Watch after the city was incorporated) needed a new Guard House. The new Guard House was larger and was used until August 1886 when it was irreparably damaged in an Earthquake. The site of the new Guard House is where the United States Post Office and Courthouse (Charleston, South Carolina) would later stand.
1887 saw the birth of the Charleston Police Department as it is known today, as well as the construction of a Central Police Station to replace the new Guard House. The Central Police Station was located, "...at the corner of King and Hutson streets, a lot which was "long vacant, neglected, and most unsightly"".[22] This Central Police Station was located next to South Carolina State Arsenal. In February 1906, the Citadel Military Academy was looking to expand and asked the City to sell the building to the State, an agreement that was finalized in 1908.
In 1907 a new Headquarters Building was opened, "...at the northwest corner of Vanderhorst and St. Philip Streets".[23] This would be the Headquarters building until 1968 when plans were begun to move the department yet again. In 1974 these plans were finalized and the department moved to their current location on Lockwood Boulevard.[23]
Fallen Officers
The Charleston Police Department has lost 24 Officers in the line of duty since 1857. The CPD has the most amount of fallen officers of any local city department in the State of South Carolina.[24]
Services
The Charleston Police Department has a broad array of specialized services, including SWAT, K-9 Unit, Explosive Devices Team, Mounted, Civil Disturbance Team, Underwater Response, and Harbor Patrol.
In 2022 the city responded to 124,337 calls for service which resulted in 4,451 arrests and 2 vehicle pursuits.[25]
Mount Pleasant is a large suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. In the Lowcountry, it is the fourth-most populous municipality in South Carolina, and for several years was one of the state's fastest-growing areas, doubling in population between 1990 and 2000. The population was 90,801 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Charleston metropolitan area.
North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, North Charleston had a population of 114,852, making it the third-most populous city in the state, and the 248th-most populous city in the United States. North Charleston is a principal city within the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 849,417 in 2023.
Carjacking is a robbery in which a motor vehicle is taken over. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is usually in the presence and knowledge of the victim. A common crime in many places in the world, carjacking has been the subject of legislative responses, criminology studies, and prevention efforts. Commercial vehicles such as trucks and armored cars containing valuable cargo are common targets of carjacking attempts. Carjacking usually involves physical violence to the victim, or using the victim as a hostage. In rare cases, carjacking may also involve sexual assault.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is the principal state police agency for the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enforcement powers anywhere within the state. The California Highway Patrol can assist local and county agencies and can patrol major city streets along with local and county law enforcement, state and interstate highways, and is the primary law enforcement agency in rural parts of the state.
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Chicago City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind the New York City Police Department. As of 2022 CPD had 11,710 sworn officers on duty, and in 2020 had over 948 other employees. Tracing its roots to 1835, the Chicago Police Department is one of the oldest modern police departments in the world.
The 2001 Cincinnati riots were a series of civil disorders which took place in and around the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio from April 9 to 13, 2001. They began with a peaceful protest in the heart of the city on Fountain Square over the inadequate police response to the police shooting of unarmed African American 19-year-old Timothy Thomas. The peaceful protest soon turned into a march that went in the direction of the victim's home neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine.
The South Carolina civil disturbances of 1876 were a series of race riots and civil unrest related to the Democratic Party's political campaign to take back control from Republicans of the state legislature and governor's office through their paramilitary Red Shirts division. Part of their plan was to disrupt Republican political activity and suppress black voting, particularly in counties where populations of whites and blacks were close to equal. Former Confederate general Martin W. Gary's "Plan of the Campaign of 1876" gives the details of planned actions to accomplish this.
The Hillsboro Police Department (HPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the city of Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. It is a regionally accredited agency with 127 sworn officers on the force. The chief is Jim Coleman in a city of over 90,000 residents west of Portland, Oregon, in Washington County. With 169 employees as of 2014, the department is the second largest police force in the county and seventh largest in Oregon.
The Columbia Police Department (CPD) is the principal law enforcement agency serving the city of Columbia, Missouri in the United States. It protects a metropolitan population of nearly 127,000 with 187 sworn police officers.
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is the primary law enforcement agency servicing 155,810 people within 15.4 square miles (40 km2) of jurisdiction within Alexandria, Virginia. The APD has been internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) since 1986, and was re-accredited in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. The APD has 315 sworn officers and 152 civilian employees. New officers are trained at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy.
On April 4, 2015, Walter Scott, a 50-year-old black man, was fatally shot by Michael Slager, a local police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Slager had stopped Scott for a non-functioning brake light. Slager was charged with murder after a video surfaced showing him shooting Scott from behind while Scott was fleeing, which contradicted Slager's report of the incident. The racial difference led many to believe that the shooting was racially motivated, generating a widespread controversy.
On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African American man, was fatally shot during a traffic stop by police officer Jeronimo Yanez of the St. Anthony police department in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.
Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot on September 20, 2016, in Charlotte, North Carolina, by Brentley Vinson, an African-American city police officer. It sparked both peaceful and violent protests led by Black Lives Matter in Charlotte.
On November 11, 2018, Jemel Roberson, a 26-year-old security guard for Manny's Blue Room Bar in Robbins, Illinois, was fatally shot by Ian Covey, a Midlothian police officer responding to a call of shots fired at the bar. Roberson, an African American, was working for the bar as a security guard when four people were shot by a gunman. After Roberson subdued and pinned the shooter to the ground, he was shot by a Midlothian police officer arriving at the scene.
This is a list of protests in South Carolina related to the murder of George Floyd.
Joseph "Joe Joe" Rideau and Christopher "Chris" Rideau, were well known criminals from New Orleans, Louisiana. Authorities said the brothers terrorized the streets of New Orleans and built a reputation as brazen gangsters. For years the duo was implicated in a host of crimes, but they were rarely convicted because of reluctant witnesses and missing evidence that doomed cases. In 2001 the brother's crime sprees would come to an end after a violent standoff in which the elder brother Joseph was killed. The wild incident made national headlines in the media. Christopher was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the incident and was released from prison in 2010 with time off for good behavior. In 2011, he was viciously gunned down in New Orleans.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
