How diverse are Myrtle Beach area police departments? One city hasn’t released data yet
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When it comes to representing the communities they serve, diversity in local Horry County law enforcement agencies is a mixed bag.
Increasing diversity in law enforcement agencies alone cannot address every single concern about public trust in the police, the U.S. Department of Justice says. But it can be a part of the conversation when it comes to improving relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
The Sun News looked at North Myrtle Beach and Conway police departments — which includes officers and administrative positions — and compared each ethnicity groups and gender to the latest U.S. Census data for each areas.
These three departments make up the largest police departments in the county.
Based on that data, North Myrtle Beach Police appears to represent the city’s population fairly well, while Conway is underrepresented when it comes to Black or African American police officers in comparison to its population.
North Myrtle Beach Police Department
Below is the 2022 Census data for North Myrtle Beach that looks specifically at race and Hispanic origin. The population estimate as of July 1 was 19,836.
- White alone: 91.2%
- Black or African American alone: 1.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.5%
- Asian alone: 2.8%
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
- Two or More Races: 3.9%
- Hispanic or Latino: 8.0%
- White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 50.6%
Here is a breakdown of the North Myrtle Beach Police Department by gender and ethnicity. The department has a staff of 123, according to a Freedom of Information Act request.
The department has 88 male officers and 35 female as well, with Dana Crowell in charge, compared to 50.6% of the population being female and 49.4% being male.
The data was received by The Sun News via a Freedom of Information Act request.
- White: 110
- Black: 11
- Two or more ethnic groups: 2
About 89% of the North Myrtle Beach Police Force is white and about 8.9% are Black or African American. When asked how the police force commits to diversity and inclusion, spokesperson Officer Patrick Wilkinson sent a statement by email.:
“The North Myrtle Beach Police Department is a dedicated and diverse group of professionals who are committed to working with our community to make the City of North Myrtle Beach a safe and desirable place to live, work and visit. Our recruiting efforts are dedicated to filling our ranks with officers willing to fulfill this commitment while staying true to our core values of ‘Service, Respect, Commitment and Integrity’ regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.
“Our officers receive cultural diversity and other training annually that assists them in providing our residents and visitors the best service they will find from any law enforcement agency. Our officers are also trained and encouraged to treat all people with Dignity and Respect and our policies and procedures prohibit any form of discrimination. With this in mind, we work to hire the very best officers based on their performance potential free from discrimination based on race, gender, or religious beliefs. Our recruiting efforts can be found on our social media sites as well as our attendance to multiple diverse college campuses for career fairs.”
Conway Police Department
Below is the 2022 Census data for Conway. The population estimate as of July 1 was 27,346.
- White alone: 60.6%
- Black or African American alone: 34.0%
- Asian: 0.6%
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
- Two or more races: 3.1%
- Hispanic or Latino: 2.2%
- White alone: 59.9%
The police department, including officers, captains and one victim advocate, has a staff of 72, according to Public Information Officer June Wood. It’s ethnicity makeup is:
- White: 61
- Black or African American: 9
- Asian: 1
Eighty-four percent of the Conway police department is white, as compared to the city’s population in which 60% are white. About 12.5% of the police force are Black or African American, compared to a population in which 34% are Black or African American.
The Conway Police Department is made up of 44 male officers and 27 female officers, in compared to 54.4% of the population being female, and 45.6% male.
Myrtle Beach
When asked about efforts made toward diversity hiring, city spokesperson Mark Kruea said that the police department is recruiting vigorously in what is a “very competitive environment nationally,” he said.
Myrtle Beach Police recruiting posts show that the department is conscious of the need for a diversified police force, he said.
The department was unable to release a demographic breakdown of the department by the time of publishing. A FOIA request for the information was submitted on July 3.
Below is the 2022 Census data for Myrtle Beach. The population estimate as of July 1 was 38,417.
- White alone: 72.2%
- Black or African American: 17.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1%
- Asian alone: 1.2%
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.0%
- Two or more races: 7.7%
- Hispanic or Latino: 13.3%
- White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 65.2%
This story was originally published August 12, 2023 at 6:00 AM.