DHEC Salutes Law Enforcement Agents on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jan. 9, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. ― January 9 is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) would like to thank the agency’s law enforcement agents – and all members of law enforcement – during this day of recognition.  

DHEC has two law enforcement units: the Bureau of Drug Control within the Healthcare Quality division, and the Office of Law Enforcement within the Environmental Affairs division.

“I’m proud to shine the spotlight on DHEC’s law enforcement agents not just today, but every day,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC Director. “On behalf of the agency, I’d like to thank our agents, and law enforcement officers across our state and nation, for their dedication to public service and to the protection of people, our communities, and our natural resources.”

DHEC’s Bureau of Drug Control (BDC) serves a regulatory role as well as provides enforcement of the South Carolina Controlled Substances Act. These agents are pharmacists who have undergone additional training through the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy to become state law enforcement officers. DHEC’s BDC agents:

• Conduct onsite inspections and audits of pharmacies, hospitals, and practitioners to make sure they are properly recording, storing and handling controlled substances. These important members of our Healthcare Quality team make recommendations and help these entities follow proper procedures in handling these medications. BDC inspectors respond to complaints and concerns reported to DHEC that sometimes indicate criminal activity or misuse of controlled substances. When warranted, they also make arrests.
• Work closely with local law enforcement, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation in their ongoing fight against the misuse of controlled substances.

Officers and Investigators assigned to the Office of Law Enforcement within DHEC’s Environmental Affairs division are certified by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy as Class 1 Police Officers commissioned by SLED with statewide jurisdiction to conduct investigations, carry firearms, make arrests and execute and serve search warrants to gather evidence of environmental-related crimes. Additionally:

• Special Investigators within the DHEC Environmental Affairs Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) investigate grossly negligent, willful and knowing violations of state and federal environmental criminal laws. Investigations generally involve criminal violations of the Hazardous Waste Management Act, the Pollution Control Act, Solid Waste Policy and Management Act, State Safe Drinking Water Act, Infectious Waste Management Act, and other general and related crimes.
• Frequently, other crimes are uncovered during the investigation of environmental crimes, such as complex conspiracies, fraudulent schemes and falsification of documents. DHEC OCI works closely with state and federal prosecutors to bring those responsible for all these crimes to justice. 
• The Shellfish Sanitation Program is a 10-officer team that primarily operates in the coastal counties but does conduct operations as needed throughout the state. Their responsibilities include patrolling the shellfish (oysters and clams) harvesting grounds and inspecting shellfish processors and transporters. DHEC officers also work closely with counterparts in the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. 

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