In Liberty County, and throughout the State of Columbia, the role of the sheriff is to provide general law enforcement in all unincorporated areas of the county. They also serve as bailiffs in the courts and handle civil processes and services. They also maintain the county jail and provide other support to local law enforcement as necessary. In addition, the sheriff’s office operates the county animal control and maintains the county animal shelter.

Other functions of the sheriff’s department include investigation into violent, accidental, or medically unattended deaths (Office of the Medical Examiner [ME]). The LCSD is authorized a staff of 201, including those assigned to custody, court, and civil assignments. Personnel operate from the HQs office and from their homes in more rural areas of the county.

The LCSD is trained to the standards identified in the National Incident Management System and directives of the National Integration Center (typing and credentialing).

The LCSD has the capability to staff a:

• LE Patrol Strike Team, Type III. It is a 27 member team with an overall function to prevent, detect, and deter crime; render police assistance; respond to calls for service; promote traffic safety; promote peace and civil order; and arrest violators.
• LE Fixed Site Security Team, Type III. It is a 39 member team that provides perimeter control/security of facilities, areas, or supplies; provides access-control, including crime scene protection; promotes peace and civil order to protect people and property; and renders general law enforcement assistance.
• LE Prisoner Facility Operations Support Task Force, Type III; A 40 member team that provides requesting jurisdictions personnel to staff and/or support a correctional facility.
• LE Prisoner Transportation Task Force, Type III. A 41 member team with an overall function to assist the requesting jurisdiction with an organized, systematic, and rapid response with the evacuation and transportation of prisoners. It includes prisoner record keeping, limited emergency medical care, and logistical resources.
• LE SWAT Team/Tactical Team, Type III. The SWAT/Tactical Team is an operational entity comprised of multiple tactical elements, special capabilities, and officers assembled for a mission. Tactical teams may be as a result of mutual aid in order to provide a regional capability.
• LE Mobile Field Force-Crowd Control Team, Type III. A 25 member pre-designated team capable of managing large crowds and saturation patrol for the purpose of maintaining order and preserving the peace.
• Deputies of the LCSD have received position specific training and may be called upon by Liberty County EMA to a County Incident Management Team.

Depending upon the nature of the incident and the complexity of the event, Mutual Aid resources may be requested to fulfill requests for multiple events.

A regional Joint Terrorism Task Force is located in Liberty County at the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department (I-107 & I-102). Representatives from Mineral, Kane, Green, Liberty, and Stramford Counties are part of this Task Force. The Regional JTTF coordinates its actions with the main Task Force in Capitol City.

The Liberty County Sheriff’s Department-Private Security Section is responsible for the processing, training, and licensing of all applicants for security licenses in Liberty County.

All persons performing a security function in Liberty County must be licensed.

LCSD participates in the Liberty County Public Safety 800 mHz Trunked Radio System. Dispatch is provided from the consolidated 911/Communications Center at the Liberty County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Units and stations may choose the repeated frequency or utilize the car-to-car short range channel. The dispatch center is located at LCSD HQ and is equipped with enhanced 911 capability, as well as radio communications on LCSD and Central City Police Department (CCPD) frequencies. Additionally, the capability exists to utilize the CSP statewide channel as well as the Columbia Law Enforcement Radio System common channel. Transmit and receive sites are located throughout the county in a “voted” system.

The LCSD participates in the Consolidated Communications Authority (“Liberty Comm”). A law enforcement channel group supports most every mobile and handheld radio in county or local law enforcement service. Each radio is capable of operating on any of the following talk groups:

The first digit in the call sign represents the shift assignment. The number “1” denotes a unit assigned shift one, working from 2400 until 0800. The number “2” indicates the unit is assigned shift 2, working from 0800 to 1600. The number “3” indicates a shift 3 unit, on duty from 1600 until 2400.

The county is generally divided into four patrol sectors for assignment purposes. This derives the second digit of the call sign.

When manpower resources have expended 50% of their capacity, 911 Dispatch Center will contact the Watch Commander and advise him/her of this situation. The Watch Commander has the authority to authorize a 12 hour shift.

When manpower resources have been extended and the incident is going into the next operational period, the 911 Dispatch Center Supervisor will notify the Watch Supervisor and the Sheriff, or designee. The Sheriff or designee can authorize the implementation of 12 hour shifts.

If the last digit is a zero, it indicates a sergeant. Any other last digit indicates the car working that area on that shift.

Example: Unit LC 121 would be working first shift in the east area of the county. If another east area car were assigned, that additional unit would be designated LC 122. A sergeant working the east area would be unit LC 120.

Staffing per shift is generally three or four units (plus a supervisor when available) per area.

The sheriff operates the animal control shelter for the county. The shelter’s function is to impound stray animals, pick up and provide medical care for sick and injured animals, issue citations for violations of applicable laws and ordinances, remove dead animals from public areas, rescue endangered animals, conduct preliminary investigations of the inhumane treatment of animals, investigate and correct animal nuisance complaints, receive and hold animals for evidence, provide the observation of biting animals for the county health officer, issue pet licenses, receive calls of predatory animals and refer to appropriate agencies, and provide routine animal related patrol services. Pathology services are available at the State Veterinary Laboratory in Capitol City.

A community group (similar to a foundation) supports the sheriff’s Animal Control Division. The Friends of the Liberty Animal Shelter (FOLAS) is a non-profit animal rescue organization composed exclusively of volunteers, with an office on the grounds of the animal shelter in Central City. Founded in 1986, FOLAS works with the shelter to try to get as many animals as possible out of danger and into safe havens. The organization also strives to make the animals’ lives as comfortable as possible while they are in the shelter. FOLAS is run by an annually elected Board of Directors as well as dog/cat foster coordinators and an office coordinator. Volunteer staff helps to socialize, walk, feed, and comfort the animals while they are staying at the shelter. Veterinary care and transportation is provided by volunteers on an as-needed basis. Their only source of income is public donations and funds raised through events (yard sales, bake sales, specific events, and annual membership dues). FOLAS money is spent on animals in and from the shelter as well as improvements for the shelter itself. FOLAS volunteers are not disaster response trained volunteers. The focus of FOLAS is on animal hoarding, abuse, and non-disaster animal abandonment.

The following tables depict the vehicles and selected categories of equipment that are part of the Liberty County Sheriff’s inventory.