“S” is for South Carolina Highway Patrol

“S” is for South Carolina Highway Patrol. Operating under the South Carolina Department of Safety, the South Carolina Highway Patrol is a law enforcement organization that concentrates on traffic violations. The State Highway Patrol was originally a field unit of the State Highway Department’s Motor Vehicle Division. Troopers were given uniforms, badges, guns, summons books, and motorcycles. Motorcycles were soon replaced by cars, and in 1953 the patrol became a separate division in the department.  The existence and duties of the patrol were contentious from its founding with several governors sparring with patrol officials over governance and authority. The patrol’s more than 700 troopers have undergone extensive training at the State Criminal Justice Academy for hazardous duties. In 1993 the Department of Safety was created and the South Carolina Highway Patrol became a part of it.