Limestone College moves forward to create police force
Gaffney SC March 13 2020
Limestone College is moving forward with plans to transition a portion of its Campus Safety operation to establish a police department.
The Board of Trustees voted recently for Limestone to begin developing a strategy for the change.
According to Chief William Petty, the department is currently working with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to establish a department that will include a combination of security and police officers.
Once granted SLED approval, Limestone expects to send its first group of officers for the same specialized training as public law enforcement.
“This transition is part of an ongoing commitment to enhancing the safety and security of Limestone’s campus,” Petty said. “By creating a department with both security and police officers, the College can provide a higher level of campus safety, even quicker response times, and enhanced partnerships with local law enforcement.”
The change in operation will align Limestone with the majority of its higher education peers. Approximately 75 percent of all colleges and universities nationwide have a police department. According to a Justice Department report, the vast majority of public colleges and universities – 92 percent – have law enforcement officers.
At private colleges, over a third – 38 percent – have such officers.
“The safety and security of Limestone’s campus is our number one priority,” noted Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker “Because of the commitment of Chief Petty and his officers, we are very fortunate that Limestone has been a very safe place, but it is essential that we are proactive and continue to strengthen our ability to provide a safe and secure campus environment. This transition will provide a stronger blanket of security for our campus and the surrounding community.”
Limestone’s current Campus Safety Office is made up of 17 officers who have a variety of responsibilities, including patrol, investigations, parking enforcement, building and residence hall security, crime prevention, and special-event security. The department currently has full authority on campus, including the ability to make arrests.
After his arrival as Limestone’s Chief in 2018, Petty took steps to improve the College’s radio communications with local law enforcement during emergency situations, and to equip the campus security vehicles with blue lights and sirens to quickly respond to emergencies.
The department does not presently have access to law enforcement databases that aid investigations, but that will change once it moves to a police agency. That will be a tremendous benefit to Limestone, Petty explained. He also noted his department will receive the advantage of in-depth officer training. Once sworn, the campus officers will also have the authority to step off the campus to respond to nearby incidents, especially those involving Limestone students, faculty, or staff.
Limestone’s officers will undergo 12 weeks of extensive training through the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. A full timeline for the transition will be established through a detailed implementation plan being developed by Petty and Limestone administration. It is anticipated that at least one sworn police officer will work with campus security officers during any given shift.
Petty explained that Limestone is in the jurisdiction of the City of Gaffney Police Department, whose officers quickly respond as needed for incidents on campus.
“Our working relationships with both the City of Gaffney Police and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department are excellent,” Petty said. “We expect this transition will make our association with those departments even stronger as we work together to make our community an even safer place. We can’t say enough how much we appreciate our local law enforcement agencies.
“At the same time, the creation of our on-campus police department is also about perception and peace of mind,” he continued. “For the parents who are sending their sons or daughters off to college, knowing there is a police presence there should make them feel that the campus is protected. We want our students, faculty, staff, and guests to be rest assured that Limestone is in safe hands.”
