Public Safety Committee — Columbia, SC
Date: 2023-08-15
Time: 13:00

COLUMBIA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023


The Columbia Public Safety Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at
2:00 p.m. at City Hall (Mayor's Conference Room), 1737 Main Street, 2nd Floor, 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 Howard E. Duvall, Jr., At-Large  The Honorable Tina N. Herbert, District I
 The Honorable Peter M. Brown, District IV

Prior to entering the meeting please turn all electronic communication devices to the silent, vibrate or off
 position. All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes.

CALL TO ORDER
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Ordinance No.: 2023-081 - Amending the 1998 Code of Ordinances of the City of
 Columbia, South Carolina, Chapter 14, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, to add
 Article XII, Drug Paraphernalia

ADJOURNMENT




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COLUMBIA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023


The Columbia Public Safety Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at
2:00 p.m. at City Hall (Mayor's Conference Room), 1737 Main Street, 2nd Floor, 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 Howard E. Duvall, Jr., At-Large  The Honorable Tina N. Herbert, District I
 The Honorable Peter M. Brown, District IV

Prior to entering the meeting please turn all electronic communication devices to the silent, vibrate or off
 position. All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes.

CALL TO ORDER
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Ordinance No.: 2023-081 - Amending the 1998 Code of Ordinances of the City of
 Columbia, South Carolina, Chapter 14, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, to add
 Article XII, Drug Paraphernalia

ADJOURNMENT




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MEETING DATE: August 15, 2023

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Ordinance No.: 2023-081 - Amending the 1998 Code of
 Ordinances of the City of Columbia, South Carolina, Chapter
 14, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, to add Article XII,
 Drug Paraphernalia
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:


ATTACHMENTS:
  #a: Ordinance 2023-081 Chapter 14 to add Article XII, Drug Paraphernalia (PDF)




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COLUMBIA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

CALL TO ORDER

The Columbia Public Safety Committee conducted a meeting on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at
City Hall, 1737 Main Street, Columbia, South Carolina. The Honorable Howard E. Duvall, Jr.
called the meeting to order at 2:01 p.m.

 Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
 Howard E. Duvall Chair Present
 Tina N. Herbert Member Present
 Peter M. Brown Member Present

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Ordinance No.: 2023-081 - Amending the 1998 Code of Ordinances of the City of
 Columbia, South Carolina, Chapter 14, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, to add
 Article XII, Drug Paraphernalia

Councilor Duvall recalled that Council had first reading of this ordinance on July 18, 2023 and
referred it to the Public Safety Committee to review. We removed needles at the request of a
state agency. I was concerned that the definitions were overly broad but they are straight out of
state law. These things can be sold but it becomes illegal when you put a controlled substance
with it. We are using the same intent of state law to make a city ordinance that carries no more
than 30 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. Section 14-352 lists 14 factors that can be considered by
the officer when making a decision as to whether there is a violation of this ordinance. This is
not an attack on convenience stores or vape shops.

Mr. William "Skip" Holbrook, Columbia Police Chief reiterated that the instrument is not illegal
unless it is used in conjunction with an illegal drug. Oftentimes, our emergent drug threats are
overlooked. This is another tool that allows us to intercede when someone is using drugs on the
street. We find drug paraphernalia in almost every fatal overdose we respond to. We typically
find drug paraphernalia present when we are able to use Narcan® to reverse a drug overdose.

There was a brief committee discussion regarding the innocence of an owner.

There was consensus of the committee to endorse Ordinance No.: 2023-081 - Amending Chapter
14, Article XII, Drug Paraphernalia, as amended for City Council's consideration of second
reading at today's Council Meeting.



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 COLUMBIA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 2:13 p.m.

Respectfully submitted:



Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC
City Clerk




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