Carolina Forest will soon have a police precinct. Leaders are recruiting officers now
Even though a new Horry County government complex in Carolina Forest is two or three years away from opening, county police are beginning to recruit now for the officers who will one day work there.
Horry County Police Chief Joe Hill said last week at the Carolina Forest Civic Association’s meeting that between 41 and 45 police officers will work in the new precinct, which will be Carolina Forest’s first. The precinct will be part of a larger government complex that will include courtrooms, office space for the county Treasurer, Auditor and Assessor as well as drive-thru lanes for residents to pay tax bills.
The new government complex and police precinct, dubbed the Central Coast Complex, will be located along Hinson Drive, behind STARTEK and near the intersection of Highway 31 and International Drive.
But those new county police positions, Hill said, will be in addition to other hiring needs the department has, meaning they’re working to fill those and looking ahead to future needs.
“We’re working hard now to recruit these folks so when we turn on the lights in that precinct, we have officers there that are trained and ready to go day one,” Hill said. “And let me tell you, that’s an uphill battle. Not everybody wants to be a cop these days.”
Hill added that frequent retirements of older police personnel makes it difficult to maintain a staff and hire for new positions.
The 41-45 new police personnel needed at the Carolina Forest precinct is in addition to 27 other vacancies the department has because county leaders added more positions to the budget this year. The budget county council members passed in June includes funds and plans to hire 43 police officers in coming years.
Hill said the new Carolina Forest police precinct will provide his department with a more centralized location to reach parts of the county, giving officers easier access to Highway 31 as well as International Drive. The precinct will also give Carolina Forest residents a place to file police reports and hold community meetings, Hill said. The most common police issues in Carolina Forest, Hill said, include domestic disputes, reports of suspicious people and car break-ins.
WMBF News confirmed last month that Horry County had purchased the piece of land along Hinson Drive for the complex and will close in coming months.
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 10:54 AM.
