Public Safety Committee

Regular Meeting

Columbia, SC · June 24, 2025

Minutes

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025 CALL TO ORDER The Public Safety Committee conducted a meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at City Hall (Mayor’s Conference Room), 1737 Main Street, Second Floor, Columbia, South Carolina 29201. The Honorable Will Brennan, Chair called the meeting to order at 11:13 a.m. and the following members were present: Attendee Name Title Status Will Brennan Chair Present Tina N. Herbert Member Present Peter M. Brown Member Present APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of June 25, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes – Approved Upon a motion made by Mr. Brown and seconded by Ms. Herbert, the Committee voted unanimously to approve the June 25, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes. PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATES 2. Columbia Police Department Briefing - Mr. William “Skip” Holbrook, Police Chief – Received as information Mr. William “Skip” Holbrook, Police Chief reported increases in homicides and aggravated assaults, attributing much of the latter to non-fatal shootings and incidents involving the unsheltered population. He emphasized the connection between public safety and environmental efforts like lot cleanups, lighting, and property maintenance in underserved areas. The department has cleared 25 encampments and made over 190 arrests related to unsheltered individuals, along with 240+ service contacts. A 15-year-old from Charlotte was linked to 150 car break-ins. This illustrates how single offenders impact crime stats. He also stressed how environmental control directly supports crime reduction. Page 1 of 2 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025 Investigator Cannon Fulmer, Crime Analyst/Columbia Police Department shared that serious violent crime is decreasing nationwide and emphasized the strength of Columbia’s coordinated approach to addressing gun violence. He highlighted the work of the Fatal and Non-Fatal Shooting Unit, which has achieved a 100% clearance rate both last year and this year. The department’s focus on identifying violent blocks rather than labeling entire neighborhoods is allowing for more targeted and effective interventions. There was discussion about a third-party contract for cleaning out homeless encampments; working with the Sherriff’s department; maintaining levels of reduction in crime; residents owning the amenities of their neighborhoods; data to back up why churches should own property; and the deployment of officers for support requests. Councilor Brown left the meeting at 12:00 p.m. Mr. William “Skip” Holbrook, Police Chief recognized Captain P.J. Blendowski and Captain Jeffery Brink for their recent professional development achievements and introduced the Columbia Police Department’s new summer marketing interns: Ms. Kamari Parrish, Ms. Jewel James, Ms. Logan Davis, Ms. Tamia Devine, and Ms. Morgan Perry. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted: Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC, CPM City Clerk Page 2 of 2

Agenda

Packet

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025 The Public Safety Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at City Hall (Mayor’s Conference Room), 1737 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Members of the public may view the meeting online at www.columbiasc.gov. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (803)545-3045 or cityclerk@columbiasc.gov if you have questions regarding the meeting. The Honorable William Brennan, District III, Chair The Honorable Tina N. Herbert, District I ▪ The Honorable Peter M. Brown, District IV Prior to entering the meeting, please silence all electronic communication devices. All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes. CALL TO ORDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of June 25, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATES 2. Columbia Police Department Briefing - Mr. William “Skip” Holbrook, Police Chief ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 1 1 MEETING DATE: June 24, 2025 DEPARTMENT: City Clerk FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk SUBJECT: Approval of June 25, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes FUNDING SOURCE & ORIGINAL BUDGET: ATTACHMENTS: • #a: PSC_MN_06252024 (DOCX) HISTORY: 05/27/25 Public Safety Committee MEETING CANCELLED Next: 06/24/25 Updated: 5/13/2025 4:50 PM Page 1 Packet Pg. 2 1.a PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024 CALL TO ORDER The Public Safety Committee conducted a meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. The Honorable Will Brennan, Chair called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. Attendee Name Title Status Will Brennan Chair Present Tina N. Herbert Member Present Peter M. Brown Member Present APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of May 21, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes – Approved Upon a motion made by Ms. Herbert and seconded by Mr. Brown, the Committee members voted unanimously to approve the May 21, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION 2. Review of Options to Expand the Current Curfew for Minors - Mr. William "Skip" Holbrook, Police Chief – Received as information Police Chief Holbrook explored the possibility of enacting and enforcing a curfew for minors. He reviewed Ordinance 2011-059, referred to as the Five Points Curfew and the second ordinance known as the Youth Loitering Curfew. Both ordinances address the hours in which underage people can be within certain areas with specific exceptions. The only other curfews we’ve had were during the COVID State of Emergency and the period of civil unrest in 2020. Neither are still in effect. He highlighted the curfew in Myrtle Beach and its role in dispersing large crowds rather than broadly restricting youth activity. He provided statistical insights showing a decline in juvenile crimes since 2020, particularly in violent offenses. He noted significantly higher juvenile crimes in zip code 29203 in comparison to the other zip codes within the city. In 2024, there has been an overall reduction in shootings but an increase in juvenile shootings. Page 1 of 2 Packet Pg. 3 1.a PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024 Councilman Bailey inquired about demographic trends within the city. He recommended surveying other municipalities and their ordinances in regards to enforcement and exploring the idea of a potential ordinance that states ramifications for curfew violations. There was discussion about the benefits of a geographic curfew; confinement and parental responsibility; and strengthening options for enforcement. Ms. Teresa Wilson, City Manager suggested looking for solutions to address the individuals with a history of bad behavior instead of a blanket curfew. Mr. Trevon Fordham, Director of the Office of Violent Crime Prevention presented the current engagement and education strategies. He acknowledged the importance of collaboration and the city's unique role in having such an office. He highlighted lessening youth violence through community engagement, educating residents on violence prevention, and enhancing public awareness of city initiatives. Plans included launching a multimedia safety campaign, increasing partnerships with local organizations for workshops, and addressing root causes of violence through data- driven research and community-based interventions. He announced that October is Youth Justice Action Month. There was discussion about the importance of a public awareness campaign to underscore being home by midnight and job fairs to employ youth; connecting with schools and the school districts; bridging the gap between the Police Department and schools; and the Handle with Care program. There was consensus of the committee to review the existing curfew ordinances to determine their validity. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted: Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC City Clerk Page 2 of 2 Packet Pg. 4 2 MEETING DATE: June 24, 2025 DEPARTMENT: City Clerk FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk SUBJECT: Columbia Police Department Briefing - Mr. William “Skip” Holbrook, Police Chief FUNDING SOURCE & ORIGINAL BUDGET: Updated: 6/18/2025 5:02 PM Page 1 Packet Pg. 5