Uploaded July 2024 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
The Summerville Police Department was in violation of numerous South Carolina state laws, and demonstrated a lack of transparency during the audit I conducted there. Deputy Chief of Police John O’Meara left his truck engine running unattended, in violation of Section 56-5-2570. He also did not forward my FOIA request to the custodian of records, in violation of Section 30-4-30(C). The ladies in Police Reception were unaware of the right to inspect records when a requestor appears in person, in violation of Section 30-4-30 (2)(A)(8), and one vehicle in the parking lot had window tint, in violation Section 56-5-5015.
Town of Summerville Police Department
300 West 2nd North Street
Summerville, South Carolina 29483
843-871-2463
South Carolina Motor Vehicles Law
SECTION 56-5-2570
No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key and effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway.
South Carolina Freedom of Information Act
SECTION 30-4-30
Right to inspect or copy public records, and to be available when requestor appears in person.
(2) all reports identified in Section 30-4-50 (A)(8) for at least the fourteen-day period before the current day.
(3) documents identifying persons confined in a jail, detention center, or prison for the preceding three months.
(C) Each public body, upon written request for records made under this chapter, shall within ten days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) of the receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of its determination and the reasons for it.
South Carolina Motor Vehicles Law
SECTION 56-5-5015
Vehicle tint must allow no less than 27% of sun light to pass through.
The sunscreening device must be nonreflective and the combined light transmission of the sunscreening device with the factory or manufacturer installed sunscreening material must not be less than twenty-seven percent.
The Summerville Police Department was in violation of numerous South Carolina state laws, and demonstrated a lack of transparency during the audit I conducted there. Deputy Chief of Police John O’Meara left his truck engine running unattended, in violation of Section 56-5-2570. He also did not forward my FOIA request to the custodian of records, in violation of Section 30-4-30(C). The ladies in Police Reception were unaware of the right to inspect records when a requestor appears in person, in violation of Section 30-4-30 (2)(A)(8), and one vehicle in the parking lot had window tint, in violation Section 56-5-5015.
Town of Summerville Police Department
300 West 2nd North Street
Summerville, South Carolina 29483
843-871-2463
South Carolina Motor Vehicles Law
SECTION 56-5-2570
No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key and effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway.
South Carolina Freedom of Information Act
SECTION 30-4-30
Right to inspect or copy public records, and to be available when requestor appears in person.
(2) all reports identified in Section 30-4-50 (A)(8) for at least the fourteen-day period before the current day.
(3) documents identifying persons confined in a jail, detention center, or prison for the preceding three months.
(C) Each public body, upon written request for records made under this chapter, shall within ten days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) of the receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of its determination and the reasons for it.
South Carolina Motor Vehicles Law
SECTION 56-5-5015
Vehicle tint must allow no less than 27% of sun light to pass through.
The sunscreening device must be nonreflective and the combined light transmission of the sunscreening device with the factory or manufacturer installed sunscreening material must not be less than twenty-seven percent.
