Public Safety Committee — Columbia, SC
Date: 2025-06-24
Time: 13:00

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




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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




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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
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 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.




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 Packet Pg. 3
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 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




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 Packet Pg. 4
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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

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.




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 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




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