JOHNSONVILLE, S.C. — The Johnsonville Police Department has no remaining personnel after its two officers and police chief resigned amid turmoil in city government, WPDE reported.
The resignations come after the city council voted on June 30 to keep the department open but declined to provide raises for the three officers. Chief Ron Douglas, who served with the department for 24 years, told WPDE that financial hardships and strife with the city council prompted the exit.
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Douglas alleged that city councilors floated the idea of closing both the police department and the city’s golf course in order to cut costs. He stated that after the council indicated it would not fill the department’s vacant position, he requested $24,000 in raises for himself and the other officers.
The council reportedly denied the request but still voted to keep the department open.
Douglas alleged that the department often relied on community fundraising rather than on city funds.
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“The city has not spent a penny for equipment over those years because the citizens have donated the money for the equipment through our annual fundraiser,” he told WPDE.
Douglas also alleged that the department was facing pressure from the city to garner revenue through traffic enforcement.
“That’s against the law and that’s immoral,” Douglas said.
Douglas will patrol Johnsonville as the department’s only officer for the next two weeks, after which the Florence County Sheriff’s Office will step in to provide law enforcement services.
Johnsonville has a population of around 1,300 residents, according to the 2020 census.
