On March 28, Columbia’s annual Fire Truck Pull raised approximately $50,000 to support pediatric cancer research. The event was organized by Curing Kids Cancer, a national nonprofit dedicated to funding cures for childhood cancer. The Columbia-Richland Fire Department provided fire engines and personnel for the event, which featured 27 competingContinue Reading
LEXINGTON, S.C. – A Columbia man has been charged with murder following a fatal shooting Saturday afternoon. Latif Shi’Yon Elijah Ross, 23, is charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a weapon by a person prohibited, according to arrest warrants. “Deputies were dispatchedContinue Reading
LEXINGTON, S.C. – Lexington County Sheriff’s Department deputies have arrested a woman accused of stealing and damaging multiple vehicles at a used car dealership. Da’Niyah Shanesse Fulks, 20, is charged with three counts of grand larceny, two counts of breaking into motor vehicles, and one count each of malicious injuryContinue Reading
Three real incidents demonstrate how RCSD deputies made split-second decisions to save lives — moments the public rarely sees By W. Thomas Smith Jr. [EDITORIAL NOTE: A version of this story appeared in the April 3, 2026 edition of POLICE1.] In my near-10 years with the Richland County Sheriff’s DepartmentContinue Reading
Willis Bowers is the Quiet Hero Beneath the Surface By Tom Mullikin In South Carolina, drowning is not a rare tragedy. It is unfortunately a persistent, but preventable one. Each year, lives are lost in our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, often in silence and often in communities where accessContinue Reading
Laclarence Lamarcus Anderson, 43, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison following a jury trial where Anderson was convicted of 12 counts of drug and gun offenses. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Anderson sold 10 firearms and quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, andContinue Reading
From Washington state, New York, and South Carolina to Belgrade: Crime Stoppers Global Solutions meets with Serbian officials to discuss existing and future threats to children worldwide By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Crime Stoppers Global Solutions (CSGS), the international iteration of Crime Stoppers here in the U.S., met via Zoom,Continue Reading
Lt. Luis Rivera has completed the FBI’s National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. “Luis’ graduation from this prestigious national program strengthens both his leadership and our agency,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “The knowledge and experience he gained will help us continue delivering a high level of service to theContinue Reading
Media Personality Curtis Wilson honored with Order of the Palmetto By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) Deputy Curtis Wilson, an anchor and law-enforcement analyst for On Patrol: LIVE and news anchor for ABC Columbia (WOLO-TV), recently received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest award,Continue Reading
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is being honored through a new initiative led by the Society of Former Agents of SLED and its 501(c)(3) subsidiary, the Foundation of Former Employees of SLED (FFESLED). The foundation has announced efforts to establish a permanent K9 Memorial at SLED Headquarters. TheContinue Reading
Looking for a way to kickstart your weekend with high-energy action? The Irmo Fire District’s High Intensity Team (HIT) is hosting a free community workout Saturday, March 21, and residents are invited to train alongside local firefighters. Whether you’re ready to push your limits or simply want to enjoy aContinue Reading
By Michael DeSumma The Columbia-Richland Fire Department honored the work of its members at the department’s annual awards ceremony February 20. Thirty-eight awards were presented during the event at C.A. Johnson High School. A majority of honors went to firefighters who went above and beyond the call of duty toContinue Reading
Award is the namesake of 2021 National Sheriff of the Year Leon Lott By W. Thomas Smith Jr. The S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame (SCBBHOF) presented Tarrant County (Texas) Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn with the prestigious LEON LOTT – FIRST THROUGH THE DOOR AWARD during an awards dinner heldContinue Reading
LEXINGTON — Lexington County investigators are asking for the public’s help in a missing person case that began more than a year ago. Drayton Lucas, 25, was last seen the morning of Feb. 8, 2025, according to his family. “Family members tell us they believe Drayton walked away from theirContinue Reading
Richland County Sheriff’s Department points to mobile-phone forensics as “vital asset” in recent homicide-solving successes By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Recent national reports of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s (RCSD) successes in solving 100-percent of all homicide cases (80 murder cases in fact since 2023) beg the question: How? BroadContinue Reading
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia has returned a two-count indictment charging Eric Anthony Rome Jr., 37, an inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, with sending a threatening letter to a Jewish/Christian organization and threatening to kill former President Donald Trump. According to the indictment,Continue Reading