MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW)- About 600 law enforcement officers from across the state met Thursday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in preparation for Memorial Day Weekend.
Check-in started a little earlier than last year, according to Lt. Joey Crosby. Churches volunteered to serve the officers barbecue and baked beans.
“We’re feeding them BBQ, setting them off in a happy mood,” said MBPD Chief Warren Gall.
Lt. Crosby said officers will rotate on 12-hour shifts.
“You couple mental exhaustion with physical exhaustion then you factor in the heat it makes it very difficult on these officers,” explained Gall.
However, he said it’s important for officers to keep safety in mind.
“We want them to go home the same way they came here all in one piece,” he said.
Chief Gall thanked officers and gave a few words of encouragement. He reminded officers they are ‘peace keepers, not occupiers.’
“It may look that way but we’re not here to make it occupy anything, we’re here to make sure the people see us and hopefully feel like they’re safe. if they have a question, a problem, a concern they can come to us,” said Gall.
Lt Joey Crosby said officers received a per diem card that covers all of their meals this weekend. They’ll be staying at various hotels in Myrtle Beach. Each officer was given a pocket guide to help visitors navigate traffic patterns.