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The Blackville Police Department is down to three officers after the certifications, and therefore law enforcement authority, of the chief and lieutenant have been suspended.
According to Mayor Ronnie Pernell, the department is left currently staffed with three certified officers and two non-certified officers, and has policing support from the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office and the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
On Thursday, June 20, the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy (CJA) sent letters via certified U.S. mail and email to Mayor Pernell, Chief Ray Crawford, attorney Glenn Walters, and Lieutenant Brian Gray notifying them of suspension and request of withdrawal of both officers’ law enforcement certifications.
An investigation by CJA was initiated against Crawford on June 6 pertaining to willfully falsifying material information provided to CJA – an occurrence that requires the withdrawal of law enforcement certifications.
“Your client provided false statements to a CJA investigator and provided false documents to the investigator as well as submitting false documents to CJA’s certification unit,” states the June 20 letter to Crawford’s attorney, Glenn Walters of Orangeburg. “After obtaining witness statements and collecting evidence it has been determined that your client wilfully falsified material information to CJA…and willfully provided false information to CJA or the Law Enforcement Training Council.”
CJA found Gray to have “provided false statements to a CJA investigator and provided false documents to the investigator as well as submitting false documents to CJA’s certification unit,” states the June 20 letter addressed to Gray.
Witness statements and evidence collected by CJA determined Gray too “wilfully falsified material information to CJA…and willfully provided false information to CJA or the Law Enforcement Training Council,” states the letter.
A Law Enforcement Training Council meeting will be held on July 24, 2024 regarding the certifications where Crawford and Gray are encouraged to attend.
This comes after Gray and the entire department were under investigation in late May. Gray for the claims pertaining to false documents, and the department for non-compliance with hiring forms for new officers.
The Blackville PD is now on the search for an interim chief, according to Mayor Pernell, and Captain L. Huggins is currently the highest ranking officer at the department.
