The Midlands Gang Task Force is thwarting violent gangs and gang-related criminal activity in central S.C. By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Gathered around a table in one of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s substations in a somewhat isolated stretch of north Columbia, S.C., Lieutenant Stephen Dauway, Corporal David Castro, andContinue Reading
Richland County, SC — In a move designed to foster closer ties with the community, Sheriff Leon Lott has added 17 new Ford Mustang GTs to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s Community Action Team (CAT) fleet. The new vehicles were unveiled on July 1 and are expected to serve asContinue Reading
Richland County deputies, Columbia Police officers, and Columbia firefighters compete for most blood donor votes in the annual drive By W. Thomas Smith Jr. COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), the Columbia Police Department, and the Columbia Fire Department are partnering with the American Red Cross onceContinue Reading
Event to be held on the grounds of the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Sheriff Leon Lott and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) will host the first annual RCSD Community Day, on Saturday, May 18, on the grounds of the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy, 5400Continue Reading
Sheriff Lott says females are “vital” to the overall mission By W. Thomas Smith Jr. In its ongoing recognition and celebration of Women’s History Month, March 1-31, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) had two separate groups of female deputies within the department photographed earlier in the month: It wasContinue Reading
This deputy brings an unusually calming peace to cops, the community and critical incidents By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Those of us in law enforcement know what K-9s do: They track and pursue suspects, locate missing persons, and sniff-out drugs, explosive devices and electronics (computer hard-drives, cameras, etc.), among otherContinue Reading
Multiple awards presented during annual banquet in mid-December By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Sheriff Leon Lott and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department presented scores of awards in multiple categories both to deputies and civilian employees of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) during the department’s annual Christmas Awards Banquet atContinue Reading
National security analyst briefs law enforcement leaders By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Kyle Shideler, director and senior analyst for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Security Policy, delivered a series of counterriot briefings to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at the department’s Denny Terrace Training Facility.Continue Reading
The popular series follows Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigators as they work missing persons cases By W. Thomas Smith Jr. “Missing: Dead or Alive,” a NETFLIX documentary series featuring the Richland County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department has been renewed for a second season with filming beginning in central South CarolinaContinue Reading
Deputies and K9s will race in the popular 5K alongside Midlands-area runners, many participating with their pet dogs By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Registration is open for the 12th annual GUARDIANS OF THE NIGHT, a 5K road race in support of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s (RCSD) K9 teams (dogsContinue Reading
Multi-agency substation located in North Columbia By W. Thomas Smith Jr. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) opened its seventeenth satellite substation with the new RCSD-led Midlands Gang Task Force (MGTF) headquarters building at 7615 Wilson Boulevard across from Meadowlake Park in north Columbia, Friday, June 30. The headquartersContinue Reading