MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Governor Henry McMaster says the state will be giving resources and sending officers to the city of Myrtle Beach to help combat the problems with violence after the city faced at least five shootings in a three day period.
Police say starting this weekend, the police presence in the city will be a lot more like it is during major events like Memorial Day Weekend and Carolina Country Music Fest.
“This is an aberration. Myrtle Beach has never been like this, and it’s not that kind of place,” said McMaster.
McMaster met with Myrtle Beach Police, SLED and surrounding agencies today to say state resources will be deployed to help send a clear message to visitors that violence will not be tolerated.
“Probably the best professional team in the country is now being assembled to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. We don’t want it to happen in any of our towns,” said McMaster.
McMaster says those officers will be in uniform and undercover, and while he wouldn’t comment on exactly how many officers will be sent to the city, Lt. Joey Crosby with Myrtle Beach Police says the police presence will mirror that of Memorial Day weekend every weekend until Labor Day.
“This is a behavioral problem, and we will address those behavioral issues, and if you misbehave and you commit criminal acts, you will be held responsible for those actions and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and if we need to utilize the federal resources, we have our federal partners with us and on board with us, and we will certainly utilize that tool if needed,” said Crosby.
This comes as both Myrtle Beach and Horry County Police face vacancies in their departments, and Crosby says it’s a relief to officers for the state to bring in resources as they work together on a plan of action.
It’s a plan of action much like the one they put together in 2014 when Governor Nikki Haley came to address violence during Memorial Day weekend.