Here’s what the City of Myrtle Beach is doing to better combat crime ‘hot spots’
Looking to combat offenses in areas prone to crime, Myrtle Beach officials approved plans to apply for $1.4 million federal grant that would fund the hiring of additional officers to specialize in a new intelligence-based policing program.
City Manager John Pedersen said the grant would aid in funding officers to participate in a newly-created Community-Oriented Policing program. The $1.9 million program would see 10 new officers hired over a three-year period at a cost of $648,220 per year.
Officers must be retained for at least 12 months after the grant funding expires, officials said.
The grant, which would derive from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Policing Services Hiring Program, would work in conjunction with the city’s police retention and recruitment plan that was put in place two years ago. The $14 million program increases the number of sworn police officers by 10 a year for seven years, raises the starting salary to over $44,000 and provides a salary boost for officers over a 10-year span.
Police Captain Joe Crosby said the additional staff would use intelligence-led police strategies to address current problems and nuisances arising in what the city and crime analysts consider “hot spots.”
“It’s a new initiative using data that you have to address those things that are a nuisance to our community,” Crosby said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “We’re going to use different strategies that we’ve never used before to make sure those offenders are apprehended and stop being a nuisance to our community.”
Chief Amy Prock recently presented officials with data revealing a 7 percent increase in total Part 1 crimes, which include violent crimes and larcenies, last year over 2018. While violent crimes saw an overall 13 percent decline, there was a 17 percent hike in larceny offense, with 28 percent of larcenies automobile burglaries, resulting in 105 firearms stolen from vehicles.
Police reported 2,909 larcenies in 2018 and 3,396 larcenies during 2019, with the number of shoplifting cases increasing from 1,113 to 1,281. Prock previously said 38 percent of larcenies are shoplifting cases, indicating the increase was likely due to drug addiction, with total property crime increasing 3,588 to 3,926, or 9 percent, from 2018 to 2019.
Thefts from vehicles also spiked — from 570 to 822 in 2019. Prock noted 80 percent of those saw no forced entry.
“We’re using a lot of data now to address crimes,” Crosby said. “The focus for these officers will be to utilize the data that we have.”
Per the grant, funds would cover 75 percent, or $1.4 million, of the costs to hire 10 new police officers a year for a three-year period. Myrtle Beach would have to match 25 percent, or $486,165, that will be appropriated annually for three years, with the first installment to be included in the proposed 2020-21 budget.
Following the grant’s expiration, the city would be responsible for the programs full annual cost of $648,220, plus any cost increases that may arise, according to city officials.
Crosby said the city is applying for the grant this week and hopes to hear back by August.
