A BRIEF HISTORY

1786 - The City of Columbia is founded as the Capitol of the State of South Carolina.

1805 - City charter vest law enforcement powers in the Mayor and six (6) wardens who levy taxes, collect fines for offenses, sentence offenders to jail and require male inhabitants to clear the city streets.

1808 - A town Marshall is employed whose duties include going through the town each Sunday... "once in the forenoon and once in the afternoon to suppress any riotous or disorderly conduct"... and to serve as clerk of the town market.

1824 - Per month a Captain is paid $33.33, a Sergeant $20.00, and a private $18.00 with a total force of ten (10).

1865 - The entire city is virtually destroyed by fire as a result of shelling by  Federal troops.

1901 - A police barracks is built behind City Hall at a total cost of $6,000.

1908 - Airing your knickers in public will cost you a $1.00 fine.  Removing sand from the city street is a $5.00 fine.  Allowing livestock to run in the city street is a $10.00 fine.

1910 - The Department consists of a chief and forty-three (43) officers.  The first gasoline powered patrol wagon is purchased to augment the Department's stable of four (4) horses; one (1) motorcycle is purchased to replace ten (10) bicycles.  Total operating budget $44,851.

1935 - The Department consists of a Chief and seventy-three (73) officers.  The Department purchases its first short wave radio station - W4XAH.

1955 - The Headquarters building is constructed at 1409 Lincoln Street.  The Department consists of the Chief and one hundred forty-seven (147) sworn officers.

1959 - Nine (9) females are employed to form the Parking Patrol Force.

1969 - Department strength is increased to one hundred ninety-two (192) sworn officers.  The total operating budget is $1,818,020.

1971 - Chief of Police of thirty (30) years retires.  A Narcotics Section is formed with a force of ten (10) men.  The Parking Patrol Force is disbanded and replaced with a force of seventeen (17) cadets.  The total operating budget for 1971/1972 is $2,429,274.

1973 - The Department hires ifs first female sworn Police Officer.

1974 - Department strength is two hundred ten (210) sworn officers and ninety-eight (98) non-sworn employees.  The Court Administration building is erected behind the Police Headquarters building.

1979 - The City is divided into four (4) Patrol Districts (precincts).

1981 - Department strength increases to two hundred fifteen (215) sworn officers and ninety-eighty (98) non-sworn employees with an operating budget of $5,907,308.

1985 - Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) is added to the Communications Center.

1990 - The Chief of Police retires and the Deputy Chief of Operations is promoted to replace him.  Total Department strength is two hundred sixteen (216) sworn officers and one hundred eight (108) non-sworn personnel with an operating budget of $10,826,865.

1991 - The Chief of Police implements community policing that directly involves the citizenry into participatory policing efforts.

1994 - The City is divided into three (3) Patrol Regions consisting of two (2) Patrol Divisions each.

1997 - Mobile Data Computers are placed into police vehicles allowing access to the Statewide computer network.  Sworn strength is three hundred eleven (311) and seventy (70) non-sworn personnel with an operating budget of $16,169,809.  The 100 year-old Eau Claire Town Hall is rehabilitated as the North Region Police Headquarters.  The Old Jail Building adjacent to the Lincoln Street Headquarters facility is rehabilitated as the new Police Headquarters complex.