One of the most important issues to citizens of cities across the country is safety. When choosing a town or even street in which to relocate, the first thing individuals do is research crime rates in the area. Whether it is done by googling crime rates, searching sex offenders, or talking to individuals in the community, people feel the need to do their due diligence before making an investment to relocate their families. The local law enforcement does everything in their power to keep the streets of Hartsville safe for you and your families and for that we are so very grateful.
In 2018, the Hartsville Police Department filed a total of 2,288 reports, down 6.3% from 2017. The total number of crimes has decreased in many of the categories, but we have seen rises in others. Thanks to the development of several different task forces within the Hartsville Police Department, we have been able to focus on getting many of these offenders off of the streets.
The Hartsville Police Department has been awarded a federal grant to employ a full time DUI officer in the department. Because of the addition of this position, the department has been able to keep the streets of Hartsville safer by increasing saturation patrols and checkpoints. Another step forward for the department was merging the Criminal Investigations Division and the Narcotics Division. This merger was huge because many of the criminal informants that each division worked with had information to benefit both sides. The merger allowed more open lines of communication for the department, resulting in a larger amount of cases solved. The VICE unit has hired a full time officer to focus on gang investigation as well as alcohol, tobacco, and firearms. With this position, he is tasked with identifying gang members and targeting violent offenders with various proactive methods.
The presence of social media has allowed residents to communicate criminal activity both with one another and with the Police Department easier and more efficiently. It is very important to remember that addressing crime is a community effort and our Police Department needs this city to be their eyes and ears. If you see crimes taking place in the city, we ask that you report it to our officers before you post to social media. This will give officers the opportunity to catch the offender before they see a public notice that a citizen may have caught them in the act. Time is of the essence when reporting crimes and we know that with your help, we can continue to get offenders off of the streets. To report a crime, you can dial 911 for emergencies or 843-398-4920 for non-emergencies. The Hartsville Police Department social media pages are not monitored 24/7, so please call in your reports to ensure they can respond in a timely manner.
As our city continues to grow, The City of Hartsville and The Hartsville Police Department will continue to dedicate time and resources to keeping our residents safe. We also want to work to educate those in the community about ways they can help us be proactive with crimes. Our Hartsville Safe Communities division would love to come and speak to your organization, church, or business, just email us at info@hartsvillesc.gov to set up an appointment. The Police Department also has a Business Liaison that can come to city businesses and held determine possible threats for the businesses. Lieutenant Mark Blair also holds Active Shooter Training Sessions for groups interested in educating their members on possible situations. We believe that there is great value in making residents feel safe as it improves the quality of life for the citizens and visitors of Hartsville and look forward to working with each one of you to make Hartsville even safer.