Candidates running for the 4th District Horry County Council seat
Gary Loftus
Age | 76
Party | Republican
Occupation | Director, Grant Center for Real Estate and Economic Development in the E. Craig Wall College of Business Administration, Coastal Carolina University
Family | Widower; Children: Barbara, Kyle, and Keith
Education | Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Princeton University
Civic and Political Experience | Serves on the executive committee of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp., chairman of the Myrtle Beach Tourism Committee, and former chair of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, former chairman of RIDE I and vice chairman of RIDE II, board of directors of the South Carolina Hotel-Motel Association, and Hospitality Association of South Carolina.
Military | None
What would you do, if elected, to repair confidence in the Horry County Police Department, as well as reduce crime?
Answer | We already strengthened programs and instituted new initiatives to ensure that the Horry County Police Department has continuous improvement and is more responsive to the community. These include filling the Internal Affairs Officer position, implementing accountability measures in the Criminal Investigation Division, holding weekly case management meetings, and increasing officer ethics training. Council has funded a gang task force and added additional violent crimes detectives. Officers have been added to create saturation teams the could be deployed to areas experiencing increased levels of crime. And, Council provided officers with body cameras to benefit the public and department.
Dick Withington
Age | 73
Party | Republican
Occupation | Retired businessman
Family | Divorced
Education | Miami University, B.A. in Economics; University of Michigan and Georgia State University, M.B.A. in Finance
Civic and political experience | Member of three HOA boards and president of two, Knights of Columbus, former board member for Out of the Darkness Community Walk for Suicide Prevention, member of South Strand Republican Club
Military experience | Midshipman U.S. Navy 1961-1965, active duty Naval officer 1965-1969; reserve officer 1969 -1974
What would you do, if elected, to repair confidence in the Horry County Police Department, as well as reduce crime?
Answer | The first thing is an attitude change at HCPD that is less confrontational and more helpful. I believe we should reduce the number of traffic stops. Police can use their loud speaker to admonish or warn offending drivers. I like Georgetown County Sheriff Lane Cribb’s empty parked police cars, along U.S. 17, which sends the proper message. Fewer speed traps and stops would free officers to solve real crimes.
This story was originally published June 11, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Candidates running for the 4th District Horry County Council seat."