Author Archives: cloudjh

Passing of former Interim Chief William Herkert, Jr.

It is with heavy hearts that the College of Charleston Department of Public Safety was informed today of the loss of one of our own.

Former Deputy Chief and later Interim Chief William F. Herkert, Jr. passed yesterday, February 19, 2021 at the Medical University of South Carolina. Chief Herkert dedicated multiple decades of his life to public service and law enforcement. He was a man of moral character and never hesitated to help others, having voluntarily come out of retirement on two separate occasions to heed the call for service.

His dedication to the job and his professionalism set a benchmark for others to follow. His leadership by example was exemplary. His presence and spirit are and will continue to be missed. Keep his friends and family in your thoughts.

 

From Chief Chip Searson:

As I often say, those who serve in our profession are a different breed. Those called to serve are cut from a different cloth.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord say who shall I send and who will go for us? And I said I am here Lord, send me.”
Isaiah 6:8

Bill Herkert said I am here Lord….send me…..

Gods speed to you Chief.

 

Chief Herkert’s end of watch was 19 February 2021. He was 65 years old and leaves behind a wife, adult children, extended family, and a huge law enforcement family. Rest easy, Chief. We have the watch now.

CofC DPS and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office mourn a deputy’s death

On Sunday, January 24, 2021, Charleston County Sheriff’s Master Deputy Keith Tyner IV lost his life. Master Deputy Tyner was a veteran officer, serving since 2006, and was a member of the Bureau of Patrol Services and the SWAT team.

The College of Charleston Department of Public Safety mourns for our fallen comrade and stands with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Graziano during this difficult time.

Keep Master Deputy Tyner’s family in your thoughts. Master Deputy Tyner was 41 years old. His end of watch was 24 January, 2021. Rest easy, brother. We have the watch now.

College of Charleston DPS mourns a brother lost to COVID-19

At 10:21 PM on Saturday, January 16th 2021, Colleton County Sheriff’s Deputy Detective Sergeant Edward Marcurella lost his battle with COVID-19 and pneumonia. Sgt. Marcurella was a veteran deputy with over 35 years of first responder history, focusing much of that work into the Low country Human Trafficking and Internet Crimes Against Children task forces.  Colleton County Sheriff Buddy Hill stated that one of Sergeant Marcurella’s passions was to bring justice to children without a voice.

He was a veteran, he was a police officer, he was a firefighter, he was a paramedic, he was a bomb specialist, and he was a SWAT member. He will be missed.

His marks the fourth law enforcement death in the state this year, and the first to COVID-19. We at the College of Charleston Department of Public Safety mourn for our fallen comrade and stand with Sheriff Hill and the Colleton County Sheriff’s Department during this difficult time.

Sergeant Marcurella’s end of watch was 2221 hours on 16 January 2021. Rest easy, brother. We have the watch now.

College of Charleston DPS mourns another fallen SC Police Officer

It is with heavy hearts that College of Charleston Public Safety mourns the passing of another SC law enforcement officer.

At approximately 4 PM on January 12, 2021, Horry County Police Office Lance Corporal Melton “Fox” Gore was removing debris from Highway 22, when he was struck and killed by a vehicle. Lcpl. Gore was a 23 year veteran of the department, serving in the environmental services unit for much of that time.

Lcpl. Gore’s death marks the third SC law enforcement death this year, all in a 12 day period, all of them traffic related.

The College of Charleston Department of Public Safety mourns for our fallen brother and stands with the Horry County Police Department in this horrible time.

Lcpl. Gore was 57 years old. His end of tour was 12 January 2021.

Rest east, brother, we have the watch now.

College of Charleston DPS mourns for another fallen SC Police Officer

South Carolina law enforcement has suffered another loss of one from our ranks. Wednesday evening, Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan David Price died in a motor vehicle collision involving his patrol vehicle, while serving in the line of duty. One other person also perished in this collision. He marks the second SC law enforcement fatality of the year, both having resulted from motor vehicle collisions.

The College of Charleston Department of Public Safety stands with the Marion County Sheriff’s Department during this horrible time. We mourn a brother and a comrade with them.

Deputy Price was 29 years old and leaves behind a wife and three children. His end of tour was 06 January 2021. Keep Deputy Price’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. Rest easy, brother, we have the watch now.

CofC Public Safety mourns for a fallen brother…

At approximately 4AM today, January 1, 2021, North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety Sergeant Gordon William Best lost his life in the line of duty. He was responding to a call for shots fired, when he lost control of his patrol SUV and struck a utility pole. Sergeant Gordon was the first officer in the history of the NMBDPS to lose his life in the line of duty. Sadly, he is also the first line of duty death for the state in 2021.

His end of tour was 0400 hours, 01 January 2021. He was 30 years old and leaves behind a wife and several children.

The College of Charleston Department of Public Safety mourns for our fallen comrade and stands with the North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety is this horrible time. Rest easy, brother. We have the watch, now.

Happy Holidays from the College of Charleston Public Safety Team

As the Fall semester in a particularly difficult year comes to a close, our team at Public Safety extends our Holiday wishes to the students, faculty, staff, and College of Charleston community. Be mindful of the Holiday season, particularly in this emotionally difficult year. Study hard, close out those exams, and enjoy the company of your family, if you’re able to. Most of all, be safe. Happy Holidays, College of Charleston, from our family to yours!

Public Safety Safety Warning – SCAM Alert

Safety Warning -SCAM ALERT-Fake Letter:  

 

Charleston Police have reported that there is fake letter being mailed to students of the College of Charleston regarding the Coronavirus.

The scam letter states it is from the City of Charleston Public Safety, and it requests students to participate in a vaccine program and that they will be paid several thousand dollars. These letters are fake and there is no such vaccine trial.

Anyone who has received this letter is asked to call Charleston Police at 843-720-3924.

Public Safety’s Crime Prevention Update

Good Afternoon Campus Community,

 

With the academic year in full swing, the campus is alive once again. A warm welcome to all of our students, faculty, and staff who are new to campus, or are returning after a summer hiatus. As we kick-off the fall semester, here are a few things to pass along from Public Safety:

 

  • Most of you have probably seen information sent from Public Safety titled, “Timely Warning.” What exactly are these notifications and how are they different from a Cougar Alert?

·       Timely Warning – Narrow focus on Clery crimes. Timely warnings are triggered by crimes that have already occurred but represent an ongoing threat. A Timely Warning is issued for any Clery crime committed within the Clery geography that is reported to campus security authorities or a local law enforcement agency and is considered by the institution to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees. Warnings are issued as soon as the pertinent information is available.

·       Cougar Alert – Wide focus on any significant emergency or dangerous situation (may include Clery crimes). An emergency notification is triggered by an event that is currently occurring on or imminently threatening the campus. Emergency notification procedures are initiated for any significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus. 

  • Bicyclists and skateboarders, please take a moment to review the bicycle and skateboard laws. Public Safety Officers will be issuing citations to bicyclists and skateboarders violating the City of Charleston’s bicycle and skateboard regulations. This includes: riding on a sidewalk, traveling the wrong way down a one way street, disregarding traffic control devices, etc. As a reminder, bicyclists and skateboarders should ride with the flow of traffic, and follow all traffic laws that apply to motor vehicles. A copy of the Skateboard Ordinance and bicycle guidelines can be picked up at Public Safety Headquarters. If you would like additional information, feel free to contact me.

 

  • Next month across the country, September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month.  During September, Public Safety, along with many departments at the College, will be hosting events to promote campus safety. During these events, students, staff, and faculty will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the great men and women who help serve and protect our campus community. There will be prizes, giveaways, and food at almost all of the events. Our calendar for National Campus Safety Awareness Month will be advertised all over campus and will be posted on the department’s social media pages. On behalf of all of us from Department of Public Safety we welcome everyone back to the College of Charleston and we look forward to seeing you at the many great events coming up this September 2019.

 

  • With the increased activity on campus, many of you may be on campus more frequently, or traveling to and from campus buildings later than usual. In your travels, please consider the following risk reduction strategies:
    • Avoid walking alone; it is best to walk in pairs or with a group.
    • Always be aware of your surroundings. Listening to music through headphones or looking down at a cell phone can impede your ability to be alert.
    • Walk on well-lit paths in heavily traveled routes. Using dark and isolated areas make you a more vulnerable target. Please take a moment to review our campus night map.
    • Use your resources!  Public Safety ( 843-953-5609 ) provides safety escorts on campus 24/7. In addition, the Cougar Shuttle ( 888-960-2227 ) is available 7 days a week from 11pm-3am.

 

  • Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information.  If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed in to your social media account.

 

Crime Prevention Tip:

If you are carrying a shoulder bag, place the strap(s) diagonally across your body, as opposed to carrying it on one shoulder. This keeps the purse in front of you, instead of at your side or behind you, which sometimes happens with purses with long straps. If you are carrying a hand bag, then make sure to hold it close to the front of your body, instead of holding it on your wrist or loosely in your hand.

 

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

 

Take Care and Be Safe,

 

 

Robert S. Reese,  M.S.M.

Chief of Police

Office of the President

College of Charleston

Campus Safety and Security Area

89 St.Philip Street

Charleston, SC 29424

843-953-5609 (office )

843-953-2105 ( fax )

Email: reeser@cofc.edu