Create And Track Police Department History
Written by CBKN76
In July 2020, Sheriff David Taylor was indicted on charges of misconduct in office and disseminating obscene material. The indictment alleged that in September 2015, Taylor sent lewd and inappropriate text messages, including an obscene photo, to a Union County citizen. Following the indictment, Governor Henry McMaster suspended Taylor from office, appointing former City of […]
Written by CBKN76
In 2020, Sumter County Councilman Chris Sumpter Jr. filed a lawsuit against Sheriff Anthony Dennis, alleging that the Sheriff’s Office mishandled a domestic violence charge against him and conspired against him. Sumpter claimed that the Sheriff’s Office had insufficient evidence to charge him and accused Sheriff Dennis of defamation. The lawsuit sought unspecified damages. Sheriff […]
Written by CBKN76
In 2017, Lieutenant Patricia Addison filed a lawsuit against the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office alleging sex and race discrimination and retaliation. She claimed that after being promoted to lieutenant in early 2015, she faced a hostile work environment, including being reassigned to a grant writing position without training, receiving unwarranted reprimands, and being subjected to […]
Written by CBKN76
In June 2023, Investigator Elisha McDonald was involved in a vehicle collision that resulted in the death of Hercules Sharper and injuries to Raymond Shivers. Prior to this incident, McDonald had undergone remedial training in 2019 after an unspecified number of crashes. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office stated that each accident is dealt with individually […]
Written by CBKN76
In September 2021, Investigator Dominic West was involved in a fatal vehicle collision on Highway 15, resulting in the death of Janet Wilson. A lawsuit filed in 2022 alleges that West was speeding at least 54 mph in a 40 mph zone and was negligent in Wilson’s death. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office disputed the […]
Written by CBKN76
In 2021, former lieutenant Patricia Addison alleged that Sheriff Anthony Dennis raped her in 1997 and groped her in 2004. She reported these allegations to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), but the agency did not open a formal investigation at that time. In 2022, the South Carolina Attorney General’s crime victims’ ombudsman urged SLED […]
Written by CBKN76
On February 2, 2023, deputies from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office fatally shot Darius Holcomb, a 39-year-old schizophrenic man, during an attempt to serve low-level warrants. The incident involved the use of tear gas and a police dog before the shooting occurred. Holcomb’s family filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Office, alleging violations of Holcomb’s […]
Written by CBKN76
In October 2022, during Operation Rolling Thunder, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on a charter bus carrying students from Shaw University, a historically Black college. The stop involved the use of a drug-sniffing dog, but no illegal substances were found. The incident led to allegations of racial profiling and prompted the […]
Written by CBKN76
Between 2007 and 2008, Sgt. Robert Allen Wood, a longtime investigator with the Criminal Investigations Division, sent 33 pornographic emails containing explicit content, including bestiality and lesbian fisting, to county employees using the county’s IP address. These emails were sent during work hours, raising serious concerns about professional conduct within the department. ## Officer Forum […]
Written by CBKN76
In July 2024, Sheriff Chuck Wright hired his son to work at the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, leading to an investigation by the South Carolina Ethics Commission for a potential ethics violation. Former Lieutenant Jeremy Byrd, who raised concerns about this hiring decision, was subsequently fired and filed a lawsuit against Wright and the Sheriff’s […]
Written by CBKN76
On February 2, 2023, Sgt. Wesley Bennett fatally shot Darius Holcomb, a 39-year-old schizophrenic man, during an attempt to serve low-level warrants. The incident involved the use of tear gas and a police dog before the shooting occurred. Holcomb’s family filed a lawsuit against Bennett, Sheriff Chuck Wright, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, alleging […]
Written by CBKN76
Deputy Charles Allen Browder III was involved in the controversial 2019 arrest of Georgia Southern quarterback Shai Werts, where he misidentified bird droppings on Werts’ car as cocaine. Prior to his tenure at Saluda County, Browder was terminated from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office in December 2017 for ‘conduct unbecoming of an officer.’ This included […]
Written by CBKN76
Former Sheriff Jason Booth pleaded guilty in August 2012 to misconduct in office for using a state prison inmate to perform work on his personal property over nearly six years. The inmate constructed an ornate iron gate and a ‘party shed’ for Booth. In return, the inmate received privileges such as conjugal visits with his […]
Written by CBKN76
In February 2019, Deputy Cameron Duecker unlawfully entered Sheila Webb’s home without probable cause and repeatedly tased her while she attempted to hide under a blanket. Webb had called 911 to report a family dispute, but the situation escalated when Duecker arrested her for resisting arrest and breach of peace. Following an internal investigation, Duecker […]
Written by CBKN76
Sheriff Rick Clark was named in a lawsuit filed in March 2023, alleging negligence in the death of Zane Kevin Marcus. The lawsuit claims that the Sheriff’s Office failed to properly manage a fallen tree at an intersection, leading to Marcus’s fatal motorcycle accident. The plaintiff seeks actual and punitive damages for the alleged negligence. […]