Where Did SLED Come From, What Do They Do?
February 15, 2011: SLED was created in 1947 by Governor Strom Thurmond. It stands for: State Law Enforcement Division.
SLED’s primary functions are to: conduct primary investigations, run a forensic laboratory, manage concealed weapons permits/perform background checks, alcohol licensing and enforcement, sales, bars, clubs, restaurants and liquor stores, and manage a sex offender registry and data base.
On the investigative side, they bring long-term investigations into play such as: arson, bomb teams (involved with Homeland Security), crimes against children, deaths of vulnerable adults, i.e., nursing homes.
SLED has created centers of intelligence and operations of fusions centers where all information is fused and disseminated out to the local law enforcement agencies. They help in connecting the dots from a federal level all the way down to a local level.
SLED also works closely with ports security and protection. SLED conducts surveillance and tracking of suspicious individuals. They work closely with A.T. F., U.S. Marshals, the National Guard, D.E.A., etc. This occurs in the Fusion Data Center where information is collected and shared with a wide variety of agencies.
The SLED director stated that in the last decade South Carolina, per capita, was the most violent state in the union. He said that there has been an explosion of gang activity recently. Now it’s more in the rural counties than the urban counties, i.e., Colleton County. The activity centers on drugs and violence. Dealers from N.Y., N.J., and Philly are moving here to take advantage of the drug market and the demand for drugs in the State. He said that the Mexican drug trafficking has become a far more prevalent element in our society, dealing in Meth., cocaine, marijuana, heroin, ecstasy and other types of drugs.
A few years ago, Miami was the hub for drugs importation. Then it moved to Atlanta. In the past several years, that center in Atlanta was broken up and has now moved primarily to the suburbs. From there it has migrated to SC, NC, and Tennessee. “These groups are more violent than anything we’ve seen before. They’ve stepped up their ability to counter law enforcement officials. They are better armed; they ward vests and are very very violent!” He stated that “This past year they stole more than a billion in gas and oil from pipelines alone… and that’s before they even sell drugs.” Recently within a 24 hours period, nation wide, 11 police officers were shot, two of them are dead. Now only SWAT teams are called out to serve drug warrants because they are so lethal and so dangerous.
In recent investigations and wire taps, the FBA, ATF and DEA agents stated that every one of them was clearly tied back to Mexico. What they have discovered is primarily narcotics and cash. He stated that the biggest threat of all in our country and state is VIOLENT CRIME. “Statistics and trends for this state do not look good, re: the amount of drugs and money coming in.” He said that budgetary constraints have translated into the fact that “we only have one half of the amount of money and agents that we had three or four years ago.” He said that “we have shifted to a different skill set in personal… the cuts ARE hurting us.”
Respectfully submitted by: Bill Christian, Keyway Committee