MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – There was a packed house at Wednesday night’s Horry County Police Department North Precinct town hall meeting.
“We came because of the violence that’s going on currently,” said Robert Freudenberger. “Whether in Conway, Myrtle Beach or Horry County, we just wanted to see what they had to say regarding Carolina Forest and the police coverage.”
Most people in the crowd were concerned about safety after several shootings in other parts of Horry County.
“I see the need that we don’t have enough police here,” said Marge Freudenberger.
Captain of the North Precinct, Robert Carr, said there are two officers who patrol Carolina Forest.
“But we need more because the population’s growing all the time a lot of people are moving into Carolina Forest,” he added. Carr said they are working to get one or two more officers in the area.
In the meantime, HCPD has increased their presence in the area in other ways.
“We dispatch our street crimes unit, which is available to anyone in the county, we have our community outreach time, our motorcycle team they’re sent out here and we also increase our precinct patrols,” said Carr.
The Horry County School Board decided on Monday to replace HCPD School Resource Officers and Carr said the decision could be a good thing for Carolina Forest and the department as a whole.
“We’re going to meet, we’re going to talk and we’re going to figure out where they can be put to help the citizens. This many police officers at one shot is a big plus for us,” said Carr. “Something we really need.”
Freudenberger said he was happy with the officer’s presentation and hopes to see a change.
“If they can get more police, which is very difficult to do here because of salary, that they’ll be increasing that force and that we’ll be getting better police protection,” he added.
Some people at the meeting asked about plans for a separate police station in Carolina Forest. Carr said while it’s been discussed, there are no short term plans for the project.
