Two SC towns left without police chiefs

[Ducky]

Two towns left without police chiefs
Sat, Aug 5, 2006

By KAREN DAILY Staff writer

The recent departure of two police chiefs from towns in the northeastern part of Aiken County is adding to the demands placed on the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

Salley Police Chief Brian Epperson resigned from his post Thursday, town officials confirm. Perry Police Chief, Tony Thompson, stepped down approximately a month ago.

The vacancies leave both towns without a full-time officer, and it's not yet clear when those positions will be filled.

In the meantime, sheriff's office spokesperson Lt. Michael Frank said deputies are providing service to Salley and Perry.

"We already have a car assigned to that area anyway," Frank said.

This is not the first time the Town of Perry has been without a paid officer.

In late 2005, Thompson temporarily left his position, but returned earlier this year, officials said.

Epperson submitted his resignation this week but did not give his reasons, Mayor Bob Salley said Friday.

He had been employed as the chief for approximately five years, he said.

"We are currently looking for a new police chief and will be advertising in the news media and by word of mouth," Salley said.

Epperson's resignation comes approximately two weeks after a prisoner being transported to the Aiken County detention center escaped from the chief's police cruiser, according to Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident reports.

On July 22, Epperson reportedly detained a Springfield man and handcuffed him, but the suspect was able to get his hands in front of him to unlock the car door.

The report states that the child safety lock was not engaged.

The police chief also fell under scrutiny in early June when the body of a 30-year-old man went undiscovered for a week after a house fire.

Salley police and firefighters said they had searched for the man's body the night of the fire but could not find the man.

Epperson had said he was told the 30-year-old was not in the home the evening of the fire, but the remains were later discovered under debris in the home.

Perry's town council is expected to begin negotiations about filling the position next week, said Dean Legge, town manager.

Just a heads-up

[conalabu]

When a department is so small all it can handle is a police chief, you got to wonder, why bother? Why not just turn it over to the SO and be done with it?

[1*girl]

Why not just turn it over to the SO and be done with it?

Didn't that just happen with another dept in SC recently?

[BigDawg]

Thats what Im thinking, just turn it over. Probably save the town a good chunk of change in thier budget too.

[Ducky]

As far as I know they still have a couple of part time officers, but yeah, they're kind of podunk. I do think the county has taken over a couple of other places but I'm not sure. A couple of LEF members are with the SO, I'm hoping they'll chime in.

[timatoe127]

I don't know about those towns, but when I moved to OK I had to go to an abbreviated academy for my OK cert. There was a guy there who was the "Chief" in a small town in OK that had 3 total officers. His qualifications were that he had been a reserve in the town for a year prior. His pay was a small home that the city owned and 13K a year. I'm suprised that with beni's like that they don't have a line of people waiting.

[CountyFourteen]

Both salley and perry are pretty little towns. I knew the chiefs of both. Yes sometimes a reserve officer would work, but it was mostly the chief and that was the force. Ducky....are you wanting me to be chief??? lol, I had considered being chief of perry the last time....but they were looking for only part time...and it turned out to be full time. As you know in these small towns...not much money there (we don't do the job for money anyway) but still need enough to make ends meet. Not to mention no take home cars (as I understood from past conversations with the chief) if you live out of town. "The old west" keeps calling me to come back as well......but I am happy where I am.....just waiting for the investigator slot, lol

[Ducky]

Naa, I like you where you're at. It's nice to look out and see that for a while at least the locals aren't going to be messing with my dogs. Besides, where would you find a wireless connection out there?

Oh, notice how the dogs don't bark at patrol cars? They know who the good guys are.