Lott says his Richland County Sheriff’s Department has changed the public narrative through new and emerging technologies as well as RCSD’s “peace officer” branding
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott addressed members of the Spring Valley Rotary Club at Columbia’s Northeast Presbyterian Church, Thursday, Oct. 9: The primary focuses of his remarks being how the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSC) has changed the narrative from his deputies being “enforcers of the law” to “peace officers,” the increasing dangers faced, and the advent of new policing technologies.
Accompanied by several RCSD deputy sheriffs and introduced by his longtime friend retired Judge Phil Newsome, Lott shared with the audience (and narrated) video footage of a recent high-speed pursuit turned shootout in which RCSD deputies were fired upon by a 23-year-old felon armed with a stolen semiautomatic pistol (with an extended magazine). The suspect Renardo Tyson fired multiple times at four deputies who immediately returned fire, wounding and ultimately arresting Tyson.
“His intent was to kill our deputies,” said Lott dressed in a pink uniform shirt in commemoration of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “We quickly neutralized the suspect, but we did not kill him. And fortunately none of our deputies were hit, wounded or killed.”
Lott added: “You shoot at us, we’re going to shoot back.”
According to Lott, six RCSD deputies have been killed in the line of duty since he [Lott] was first elected sheriff in 1996. Another four K-9s have been killed in action.
“Those of you who have experienced combat action know full-well combat is not like what you see in the movies or on TV,” said Lott addressing the Rotary audience with several formerly deployed military veterans present. “Combat is very quick and it is extremely dangerous.”
The shooting incident involving Tyson on Sept. 30 was a “perfect example,” he said.
“I don’t show you this video to shock you,” said Lott. “I show it to you so you can see what our deputies face all the time, almost every day in fact.”
Lott further enlivened his presentation with a small internal drone (unmanned aerial vehicle aka UAV) flying-demonstration inside the church auditorium with visuals from the drone’s camera projected onto the same screen which moments earlier projected the Sept. 30th chase-scene turned shootout.
Piloted by RCSD’s Special Response Team (SRT) Operator Larry Smith, the dinner-plate-sized drone was the exact model used in SRT operations and those of the Midlands Gang Task Force during high-risk missions wherein UAV technologies can precede responding deputies during dangerous building-and-room clearing missions, providing visual imagery to deputies and operators in real time.
A remotely driven robot used in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD aka “bomb”) operations was also demonstrated on the floor of the auditorium.
“With these technologies including body cameras which automatically engage whenever one of our deputies unholsters his or her weapon, we control the narrative,” said Lott. “We’ve also changed the narrative in terms of our branding as ‘peace officers.’”
Lott discussed the ongoing relationship between RCSD’s “peace officer” branding initiative through Police2Peace, a national law enforcement support organization working with a research team from New York University (NYU). The initiative was one in which the words “Peace Officer” were emblazoned on vehicles beginning in 2018 and, ultimately, on officer uniforms as well. Together, Police2Peace and NYU also conducted a study on the benefits of the branding initiative and determined it to be a success in terms of positive community perception of RCSD.
Again, “changing the narrative.”
In his introduction of Lott, Judge Newsome said: “Sheriff Leon Lott has always been guided by his faith. He’s an intelligent law enforcement leader, and his record speaks for itself.”
– For more information, please visit http://rcsd.net.
