Leroy Smith, director of the S.C. Department of Public Safety, and Captain David Yongue, Commander of Troop 2 of the S.C. Highway Patrol, emphasize the importance of public safety in cities, counties and state.
Yongue is commander of the Troop 2 area, which includes Newberry, Saluda, Edgefield, Laurens, Greenwood and Abbeville counties.
We have had a packed spring and summer with many important and meaningful occasions and ceremonies from honoring our fallen troopers to inducting law enforcement officers into the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame to many special enforcement activities.
We made history in recent months when we named our first female captain within the Highway Patrol. Capt. Tara Laffin assumed command of Highway Patrol Training. Later in the summer, we made history again when we named Col. Chris Williamson to head the Highway Patrol following the retirement of Highway Patrol Col. Mike Oliver on June 30.
Williamson is a 29-year veteran of the Highway Patrol. The new colonel had served as the deputy commander for the past six years so he comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience – both administratively and from his time in the field. Lt. Col. Marc Wright, who has served the Patrol for 35 years, assumed the role of Lt. Colonel and deputy commander. He too has a vast knowledge of patrol operations and administration.
These are exciting times for the Patrol and SCDPS as we continue to evolve and work to better serve the citizens and visitors of our state.
It seems like all the news and talk around town recently has been centered on the once-in-a-lifetime Solar Eclipse. And it was an amazing sight. We enjoyed meeting folks from all over the world who had come to our state for one of the best views in the world.
The planning and preparation leading into this event were extensive. SCDPS began planning with our State Emergency Management partners for this event last November. We had heard estimates that up to 2 million people could visit our state to view this once-in-a-lifetime show.
We knew that if this estimate held firm, it would tax our roads and manpower but we worked hard to ensure we were ready for any number of scenarios to move traffic efficiently and ensure the safety of motorists in case of emergencies.
For months, our emergency traffic management unit developed plans, in conjunction with S.C. Department of Transportation and SCEMD, to help move people into and out of our state as efficiently as possible. Unlike most emergency planning, which is usually as a result of a weather event, this was for a happy occasion – albeit a crowded one — on our roads.
Our public information officers pushed out social media posts, infographics and media interviews in an effort to ensure the public knew about and was prepared for this big day.
We had around 160 extra troopers on hand along the path of totality ready to assist with moving traffic. I am pleased to say that by Monday evening, most areas around the state were reporting that traffic had cleared.
I am so proud of the excellent job our troopers and Transport Police officers did and how well the public heeded our message to be prepared, plan ahead, and arrive at their destinations early. This professionalism is what impresses me about our men and women every day.
On the enforcement and public safety front, we recently saw more confirmation of the hard work our men and women are doing when we received the results of our safety belt survey. For the sixth year in a row, South Carolina topped a 90 percent safety belt usage rate. This year’s safety belt survey results show that South Carolina now stands at a 92.3 percent usage rate — the second highest safety belt compliance rate in our state’s history.
I also want to commend the men and women representing our state in Myrtle Beach. Earlier this summer, Myrtle Beach suddenly began to experience violence erupting in the streets. SCDPS stepped in and is working with Gov. Henry McMaster, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and local law enforcement officials to commit resources to help ensure public safety and order as tourists and residents enjoyed the summer of 2017.
We are fortunate that we are experiencing a slight drop in highway fatalities at this time. This is a trend we need to see continue as we work toward our goal of Target Zero highway deaths. Our primary concern is continuing our emphasis on core violations of safety belts, DUI, and speed.
Col. Williams and I have asked the Troops to continue to educate pedestrians and keep an eye out for texting and driving and other distracted driving behaviors. These continue to be some of our greatest challenges.
In fact, Capt. Yongue will be holding a news conference soon to announce efforts to fight fatalities right here in Troop 2 (Newberry) that will be announced later.
Lunch Buddies is an SCDPS mentoring program to provide students a positive way to interact with and get to know the law enforcement that serves their communities. Through this statewide program, our troopers eat lunch with children at elementary and middle schools in their communities to engender a positive perception of law enforcement with children and young people and to break down barriers in communities.
For schools interested in requesting a Lunch Buddy, visit the SCHP web site at www.scdps.gov/schp/ and click on the Request a Trooper to speak to your group link.
Recruiting: The South Carolina Highway Patrol is always looking for well-qualified men and women to join our ranks. To find out more about requirements, visit www.scdps.gov/sctrooper/.
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