Problems Persist At Pageland Police Dept.

Pageland Police Problems Persist

PAGELAND, SC — Pageland Police Department problems persist despite most officers returning to work Monday.

They walked off the job last week after town council reinstated Police Chief Larry Brown despite an ongoing state law enforcement investigation into the Chief.

To see previous report, click here.

Officers agreed to come back to work after town council members put the Chesterfield County Sheriff Jay Brooks in charge of the department temporarily.

The Chief returned to work under the Sheriff Monday.

Sheriff Brooks says he gave the Chief one job: to put together a 30 day, 90 day and six month plan with measurable goals for the department.

Chief Brown did not answer the door when WCCB Charlotte reporters showed up to ask him about day one back on the job Monday evening.

South Carolina Law Enforcement agents won’t say why they are investigating Chief Brown until the case is closed.

Sheriff Brooks says he’s noticed red flags in the department since taking over.

He says the department has almost no structure. He described the evidence room as in disarray.

“It had not been properly taken care of,” said Sheriff Brooks. “What we want to do is get a digitized system with scanners and bar-codes.”

Sheriff Brown says no one has maintained patrol cars. He outfitted officers with body cameras Monday and gave them a new manual.

“There was policies and procedures in there three chiefs back,” said Sheriff Brooks. “So, we just canned the whole thing, and we got a brand-new manual modeled after ours that was done this year. Everything’s been approved by attorneys.”

Next, he plans to restructure personnel.

“My biggest thing is competent officers on the street that are well supervised,” said Sheriff Brooks.

He has added foot patrols in neighborhoods and businesses.

Owners like Mack Nicholson say the walk off may be a Godsend.

“We see what was wrong,” said Nicholson. “As bad as it is, at least we can do something about it.”
Officers who protest Chief Brown won’t say why yet.