Serving Barnwell County and its neighbors since 1852
The Blackville Police Department is down to one officer and is relying on other agencies to help fill the gaps in coverage.
Freddie Washington, who assumed the role of chief in early August, is currently the department’s only officer. He takes over amid ongoing staffing shortages that have left the town relying on help from the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) and other law enforcement agencies.
“My ultimate goal is to stabilize the police department,” Washington said. “We’ve been short on staff, and in recent years, we’ve had frequent changes in leadership. I want to bring stability to the department so we can better serve the community.”
Washington, who began his law enforcement career in Blackville in 2013 after 27 years at the Savannah River Site, previously worked for the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office for nearly five years before returning to Blackville as a lieutenant earlier this year. He was appointed chief following the resignation of former Chief Shawn Howze earlier this month.
In his resignation letter to Mayor Ronnie Pernell dated July 21, Howze described responding alone to a violent call on July 17, 2025. Though he considered it a privilege to serve his hometown as chief, he said this “critical incident…significantly influenced” his decision to resign.
“That day, I responded alone to a violent call involving two suspects actively fighting and struggling over a firearm. In attempting to de-escalate and secure the weapon, I found myself in a dangerous position where my life was put in immediate danger, and the outcome could have been fatal. Had adequate backup been available, the risk to my safety might have been reduced,” said Howze, who has joined the BCSO as a school resource officer at Macedonia Elementary-Middle School.
Town Administrator Fonda Patrick said officer turnover has long been a challenge for Blackville and other small municipalities.
“It sounds like this has been going on for some time now,” Patrick said. “We’re a smaller municipality, and most officers can come in and get their certification through us and then move on to larger areas. We may not be as competitive with pay compared to bigger cities, and we also compete with neighboring towns and the county for the same officers.”
At the March 17 Blackville Town Council meeting, it was reported that the police department was fully staffed with six certified and one uncertified officer. The department announced that one officer had just graduated from the criminal justice academy and they had hired Lt. Washington.
Patrick said Blackville recently lost three officers — one who did not pass certification and two who left for other agencies, one in-state and one in Florida. As part of budget cuts for the 2025-26 fiscal year, the town eliminated two police officer positions –reducing the number of budgeted officer positions from seven to five.
Howze’s departure on August 1 left the department with two officers. While Blackville leaders did not comment on current staffing numbers, Barnwell County Sheriff Steve Griffith said that number is now down to just one – Chief Washington. This means the Town of Blackville has had to seek the assistance of other agencies to help with uncovered shifts. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Department of Natural Resources, state probation officers, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol have all been assisting with patrols.
Sheriff Griffith said his office is also providing coverage when possible, though deputies are stretched thin. Off-duty deputies who volunteer for Blackville shifts are paid by the town at an hourly rate of about $68.65, which includes wages and benefits.
“We got into it for the short term to help out the town,” Griffith said. “We’re going to do what we need to do for the citizens of Blackville.”
In the event that no one from another agency is able to fill an open shift, the sheriff said his deputies will respond but they might be coming from another part of the county. He said this could lead to longer response times.
“I hope they get their staff back up to numbers they need so they can resume normal operations of the department,” said Sheriff Griffith.
Patrick emphasized that residents should not be concerned about safety or access to law enforcement during this period. “Actually, we have more coverage now than we do with our own when we have a full staff,” she said. “They do an amazing job making sure they’re visible in the area. Citizens can still call 911 and get the same response they would if it was one of our own officers.”
Washington said his focus remains on public safety and maintaining the town’s low crime rate. “Most people know me from my time here before,” he said. “I want to keep our crime rate low, make sure people feel safe, and protect the community.”
