WARRANT SECTION

The Horry County Police Department's Warrant Division is made up of two Sergeants, with eight officers under each sergeant. We serve Family Court papers, Civil papers, criminal warrants, bench warrants, subpoenas, mental health pick up orders, work traffic for moving buildings, and others work orders as they come up.

Each year the warrant division serves in excess of 20,000 papers.

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TRAFFIC DIVISION

Officer's duties include pro-active traffic enforcement to reduce accidents in known dangerous intersections; roadway and neighborhood areas by issuing traffic citations and/or warnings to motorist whom violate state and local traffic laws. Complete all work orders assigned concerning citizen complaints regarding traffic related incidents, i.e. Speeding, disregarding signs, DUI, ect. Conduct various traffic-related presentations at area high schools, and neighborhood HOA meetings to educate the general public in the danger and consequence of hazards driving habits. Once a year conduct a Safe Drivers Award Program (Rodeo) that rewards students of each area high school who best completes the tasks administered. Assist other agencies with traffic related assignment such as Vehicle Safety Checkpoints, Accidents, and administering breath test. Work with the SC Department of Public Safety in conducting various traffic related campaigns such as 3-D Week, Operation 35, Child Passenger Safety Week, and Buckle-Up America Week.

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COPE

Community Oriented Police Enforcement (C.O.P.E.) teams are a part of the Support Services Division of the police department. First and foremost, the philosophy behind these teams is community oriented policing. C.O.P.E. teams are responsible for assessing their assigned communities by talking with residents to find the main areas of concern and researching ways to work with the community to solve problems and lessen these concerns. These teams are developed to break down and thoroughly investigate specific problems in their communities by relating to residents, understanding how the problem is being handled and whether the process is effective. C.O.P.E. teams are two of the six C.O.P.E. teams within the police department. The members of these teams are given the opportunity to practice proactive policing with a greater deal of independence. This type of policing allows the officers to make important decisions within the community following a thorough investigation.

C.O.P.E. team members are some of the most highly visible officers in the public. These officers develop community projects such as school reading programs, community health fairs, bicycle safety, attending baseball games and other related events. Several of these projects are covered by the media and commended by public officials throughout the area. The C.O.P.E. teams develop a level of comfort with the community to act as a link of communication between the public and the police department.

C.O.P.E. teams are built with seasoned officers. These teams are the basis for policing around the country. More departments are adopting community policing realizing how beneficial the concept is to police departments and the public. Future employees will recognize the function and importance of these teams within the department. Officers serving on C.O.P.E. teams earn a great deal of experience and knowledge. These attributes along with independent decision making skills are great leads to future advancement within the police department.

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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS UNIT

The Crime Scene Investigations Unit is a branch of the Support Services Division of the Horry County Police Department. The Crime Scene Unit responds 24 hours a day to support Patrol and Detective personnel in the investigative, documentary and recovery process of evidence at crime scenes. The Crime Scene Unit assists in the investigation of homicides and violent crimes, in addition to any other investigation where their services may be helpful. Crime Scene Unit personnel receive specialized training in crime scene reconstruction, photography, evidence handling and processing. In addition, they are trained in the casting of tire and shoe impressions, impression analysis, blood pattern analysis, and trajectory analysis. The Crime Scene Unit is the forensic services section of the Horry County Police Department. The mainstream field of forensics is fingerprinting, latent print lifting and latent print examination and analysis. Crime Scene Unit personnel are charged with the forensics portion of the investigation, from their arrival at the scene all the way through providing expert testimony at trial. The Crime Scene Unit is required to preserve, collect, process, testify and present evidence in court. All of these skills are applied to physical evidence to determine if the evidence matches the version of events provided by victims, witnesses, or suspects.

As a no-charge service to the public, citizens are fingerprinted each Wednesday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at Horry County Police Department 2560 N. Main Street, Conway. No appointment is necessary for this service however, to avoid delays please call ahead.

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D.A.R.E.

D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a prevention education program taught by police officers. Developed in 1983 in Los Angeles, the program had spread worldwide. Taught in every state and several foreign countries. D.A.R.E. has become the most popular drug education program in the country.

Each officer teaching D.A.R.E. has received eighty hours of intense training. Officers selected to teach are required to have of two years street experience and an exemplary record.

The D.A.R.E. curriculum is based on providing accurate information to fifth grade students about drugs and their abuse in the community that they live. Also included are decisions making skills, violence, self-esteem and how to say no to peer pressure. Through role playing and group discussions, students are taught the positive alternatives to drugs. Each student that completes the seventeen-week course graduates from the program in a unique and special ceremony.

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TRAINING

The Training Section is comprised of one Lieutenant, one Sergeant, a Lance Corporal and one part-time civilian volunteer. A core group of officers with primary duties throughout the department are certified as instructors and help supplement the training staff.

The Training Section is responsible for providing the required training mandated to keep all law enforcement certifications current and enhance the officer survival skills of the department. In addition to mandated training, courses are continuously evaluated to provide employees with premium specialized blocks of instruction. Other responsibilities include but are not limited to: the testing and hiring of new personnel, all promotional assessments through the rank of Lieutenant, the oversight of the Field Training Officers program and the procurement of all associated police equipment utilized by departmental personnel.

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PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE SECTION

The Property and Evidence Section is charged with the control, care, custody and security of items seized, recovered, evidentiary property, as well as, items that have been abandoned, lost or recovered that are in the custody of Horry County Police Department. The Property and Evidence Section operates Monday to Friday during the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. This is a critical section of the Police Department that supports both the Patrol and Investigative areas by maintaining evidence and property for criminal trials and by providing a method of returning property to its rightful owner. The Property and Evidence Section constantly strives to achieve and maintain the integrity, respect and reputation that is expected by the public.

Property that is scheduled to be released from custody or control can be obtained in person with proper identification and proof of ownership on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 8:00 am and 12:00 pm, no appointment is necessary however, to avoid delays please call ahead.

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SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS

The School Resource Officer Program places a police officer on the campus of participating middle and high schools. The Horry County Police Department and the Horry County School District has entered into a contractual agreement where each pays for the funding for this program.

School Resource Officers work on the following issues on the school campus: truancy, child neglect and abuse, assaults, gang activity, substance abuse, campus patrol, threats to the safety of students and staff and other criminal activity. In addition, SROs provide campus patrol, class presentations and "Law Related Education Programs," and maintain a close relationship with area patrol officers.

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REGIONAL DRUG ANALYSIS LABORATORY

With grant aid from the Drug Control and System Improvement Program of the SC Department of Public Safety's Office of Justice, the Horry County Police Department Regional Drug Analysis Laboratory opened in August 2003 to serve the law enforcement agencies and solicitors' offices of the 15th Judicial Circuit. The Laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art instrumentation. A GC-MS (Gas Chromatograph with a Mass Selective detector) System provides confirmatory results for most every liquid, solid, tablet, capsule, and plant matter submitted for analysis. A UV-VIS Spectrophotometer utilizes ultraviolet and visible light to presumptively test unknown liquid submissions. An FT-IR (Fourier Transform- Infrared spectroscopy) System presumptively identifies unknown liquids and solids, as well as confirms the difference between the presence of cocaine base (often referred to as crack cocaine) and cocaine salt (cocaine powder). The Drug Analysis Laboratory is operated by one Forensic Chemist, who tests seized substances according to analytical procedures accepted by and currently in practice at S.L.E.D. The Forensic Chemist also serves as an Expert Witness for drug cases analyzed in the Laboratory that go to trial.

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