Charleston Police Department

In the early colonial period, police protection for the citizens of Charleston was performed by the Town Watch, a paramilitary unit. After incorporation in 1783, Charleston formally established the City Guard, another paramilitary force. The City Guard helped suppress the 1822 Vesey slave rebellion.[2] From 1846 to 1855, the City Guard was reorganized several times and finally emerged in 1856 as a uniformed police force under the administration of Mayor William Porcher Miles.[3]

The Guard was armed with swords and pistols. It enforced a nine o'clock curfew for African-American residents of the city. Based at the "Guard House" at the corner of Broad and Meeting Streets, the force flogged those out after hours.[2]

Prior to the close of the Civil War, martial law was enacted in Charleston, and the city police force disbanded. Civil police forces were revived and reorganized, however, in 1865 following the election of P. C. Gaillard. These forces served as a counterpoint to the federal authorities until the end of martial law in 1877.[4]

The election of Mayor W. W. Sale that same year marked the introduction of a city police organizational system of officers and men, divided between the main station and the upper station, a system that was continued by succeeding administrations.

On 7 February 1888 a new station was opened at the corner of southeast King and Hutson Streets. In 1895 the State of South Carolina authorities established a metropolitan police and seized control of the organization from January 1896 to 30 September 1897, at which time control was returned to the city. In 1907 a large, modern facility was erected at the northwest corner of Vanderhorst and St. Philip Streets. The police department remained at this location until 1974, at which time they moved to their current location on Lockwood Boulevard.

In July 2011, the department was re-accredited through 2014 with the Accreditation with Excellence Award by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Replacing the former "Flagship Award," the Accreditation with Excellence Award is the highest single-period accreditation award available. The department also received the Meritorious Accreditation Award in 2011, representing at least 15 continuous years of CALEA accreditation.[5][6][7]

The CPD was criticized for its response to the 2020 George Floyd protests in downtown Charleston, which some called insufficient.[8]

According to police, on December 29, 2020, 911 operators received a call at 3:06 a.m. which was followed by a second call minutes later regarding a disturbance and domestic violence incident that was occurring at the Bridge View Apartment complex located at 105 N. Romney Street. “CPD officers were dispatched and, upon arrival, shots were exchanged between an individual and the officers,” police said. The individual was 28 year old Charleston native Jason LaTroy "Tank" Cooper A report states one officer was shot in the chest but sustained non-life-threatening injuries as the officer was a wearing a ballistic vest. Investigators said the suspect Jason Cooper was also shot during the incident and later died as a result of the shooting.[9]

On January 19, 2021, Police say a man by the name of Montrez Cyrus Simmons of North Charleston South Carolina was wanted for multiple violent crimes in the Lowcountry including murder and carjackings has been arrested following a chase in the Charleston area which led to the suspect getting shot in an officer-involved shooting. Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds said the man, who has not been identified, is wanted for various crimes including a recent murder in Georgetown, a carjacking in Mount Pleasant that happened on Monday and an armed carjacking that happened earlier this evening in Charleston. Officers located the carjacked vehicle and the suspect Tuesday night, and a short chase ensued which ended in the area of Spruill Avenue and Comstock Avenue.According to Reynolds, at the end of the pursuit, shots were fired and the suspect was transported to a hospital for injuries from a gunshot wound. Reynolds said a gun belonging to the suspect was located and recovered from the scene. Reynolds stressed that it was the second time in weeks that his officers had encountered a violent suspect with a criminal background who was armed. “I want to make this clear. This is important to me to say this publicly. This is the second time my officers in a matter of weeks have encountered a violent suspect with a career violent criminal record who was armed,” he said. “Let me say that again. This is the second time in a matter of weeks that my officers have encountered a violent armed criminal offender. We have a serious violent crime problem.” The police chief said everyone must continue to work together to help address these crime issues. “I am proud of and thankful that we have police officers throughout this region, not just in the city of Charleston,” he said. “Throughout this region, throughout this country that are putting their lives on the line to keep our city safe. They're selfless and they're fighting for others and protecting our citizens who can't fight for themselves.”[10] Reynolds said he was pleased to say no more citizens were injured and officers were okay following the Tuesday night incident. “They're safe because this could have had a very different conclusion,” he said.”This is the second time that we’ve all stood here for a similar related event.” State troopers and SLED agents also responded to the scene. Earlier tonight, viewers reported law enforcement units chasing a car followed by a wreck in a yard. One viewer who captured video of the incident said that someone appeared to be on the ground following the chase with law enforcement units directing traffic away from the scene.[11]

On March 10, 2021, officers were notified of a man walking around the Colonial Grand at Cypress Cove apartment complex with a semi-automatic rifle around 11:00 a.m. Neighbors reported that the man was harassing them and trying to get into their home. "He’s standing outside our apartment he’s actually across from us and he is waving a big gun. It looks like a AK-47 of some sort and I do not feel safe," says a 911 caller. The suspect, who was later identified as George Grayson Sanner (25), barricaded himself inside his apartment when police arrived. After an hour of waiting, Sanner walked out onto his balcony and shot towards an officer. The officer returned fire and Sanner was hit, then taken to the hospital. Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson declined to bring charges against the officer who shot Sanner, noting that Sanner was armed and dangerous and shooting at officers.[12][13]

• Charleston church shooting

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