Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office receives new mobile command vehicle

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) – The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office has received funding for a new mobile dispatch vehicle to help the department respond to emergencies in the ever-growing county.

The state granted the department $1.25 million. Four state legislators, including Mark Smith, Brandon Cox, JA Moore and Sylleste Davis, supported the project.

Sheriff Duane Lewis explained that the department has been in need of a more modern mobile command unit for years, as the unit the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office currently has is over 20 years old.

He said that given the explosive growth of the county, this command unit is necessary to respond appropriately and efficiently to acute emergency situations.

“When emergencies occur, we can respond quickly, deploy resources, quickly assess the situation and send workers where they are needed,” Lewis said.

With the new mobile command unit, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office could have a command center with 911 dispatchers, multiple departments working together in one location, and modern technologies such as live streaming of drone footage in emergency situations.

“Everything is centralized here; we don’t have people scattered around in a command situation,” Lewis said. “It will help us assist citizens in emergencies like this.”

Already in May 2023, Lewis said the multi-day Search for Michael Burham showed the department the need for a new command unit, as older technology and limited cellular connectivity made the search difficult.

“When such large manhunts occur or such events or situations arise, we need a central mobile command post from which we can communicate with all other agencies,” Lewis said.

House Representative Mark Smith was the commando unit’s primary sponsor and said it was a necessary project because police officers would not be able to do their jobs if they were not properly equipped.

“We are listening, we are paying attention, and we want to make sure that we are equipping and supporting our law enforcement agencies with everything they need to keep our citizens safe,” Smith said.

Although many requests and needs are presented to the state each year, Smith explains how important it is to him to support certain projects.

“A project like this, our new mobile command center for Berkeley County, is a no-brainer for me and many of the members of the Statehouse who supported this project and voted for the budget,” Smith added.

Sheriff Lewis added that the new vehicle will help the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office quickly assess the situation, deploy personnel where needed, and provide peace of mind to the citizens of Berkeley County.

“I think citizens will see that we are making progress, that we are moving forward with the new technologies and communications devices that this vehicle will have. I think most importantly, they will see that we are being proactive,” Lewis said.

A timetable for the vehicle’s operational readiness has not yet been set, as the next step is to secure a command unit, which may take some time.

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