Why merging Horry County’s police departments an issue. Key points in public push
Horry County Council is weighing whether to merge the county police department with the sheriff’s office after a string of corruption cases and misconduct allegations rocked the HCPD. The discussion is in its early stages, but residents and lawmakers are pushing for change.
Here are key takeaways about why the merger issue is being discussed:
• Why this is coming up now: The potential merger appeared as a public input matter at a recent Horry County Council meeting, where residents and a former HCPD sergeant criticized the department’s culture, citing a pattern of repeated problems without accountability.
• The Scott Spivey case is central to the debate: The 33-year-old North Carolina man was killed Sept. 9, 2023, in a roadside shootout near Longs. At least five HCPD officers have been accused of misconduct in the investigation, including allegedly mishandling evidence and giving preferential treatment to one of the shooters. Two officers involved were later promoted. Spivey’s sister, Jennifer Foley, spoke at the council meeeting to urge the merger of the two departments.
• Other recent scandals compound the problem: Last year, the county removed former safety deputy administrator Randy Webster’s name from its $24 million emergency operations center amid a sexual harassment lawsuit. This month, an officer was charged with bribery for allegedly seeking money to drop traffic tickets.
• Horry County’s setup is unique: It is the only county out of 46 in South Carolina to have a separate county police department. The HCPD was formed under Act 21 of 1959. The sheriff’s office handles the detention center, court security, civil process and tracking registered sex offenders.
• A state lawmaker has filed a bill: S.C. Rep. William Bailey, R-Horry, a former police chief, authored a bill to repeal the 1959 Act and make the sheriff’s office the primary law enforcement agency. He said merging would be more efficient and provide additional accountability through public elections.
• Not everyone is convinced: Councilman Dennis DiSabato raised concerns about what would happen if a future sheriff engaged in corruption, noting 17 sheriffs in the state have been arrested over the last five years for abuse of power.
• No immediate action is planned: Council Chairman Johnny Gardner said the county would study potential changes, costs and timelines but acknowledged no one yet knows the answer.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
