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South Congaree Police Chief Fired for ‘Unsettling’ Town Officials; Town Disagrees
A decorated law enforcement veteran lasted less than 90 days as South Congaree’s police chief. Why he left depends on who you ask…
7 comments
Another small town police chief who thinks he is in charge. Time to wake up and realize that you work for the Town Administrator and are merely one of her department managers. If you want to run your own department then campaign to be Sheriff.
Veni, vidi, vici Top fan, “run your own department” unwittingly points out to one root of many, many evils: the Home Rule Act.
That “act” replicated in many states is NOT really a widening of democracy but a device to increase government jobs and replicate them and create local patronage jobs basically unaccountable because local elections have traditionally a 10% or so turn out.
Home Rule is NOT small government INSTEAD OF big government; it is small governments IN ADDITION TO big goverment.
I believe local police and sheriff departments are unconstitutional because localities are NOT sovereigns. Only the federal government and state government are sovereigns. And it is ridiculous that the Governor can suspend and appoint local interim sheriffs but cannot appoint permanent ones in the first place.
The real DOGE revolution should first look at the threshold at who has the right to have governments. The U.S. Constitution has a clear answer: only sovereigns can form government; and localities are NOT soverigns.
County sheriffs are constitutional [See Art. 5, Sec. 24 of state constitution]. Their office is created by the sovereign state. Fun history fact: sheriffs existed under common law before even the U.S. was formed; their lawful authority already existed for over 100 years before the Declaration.
Congaree cat fish Top Fan: True; but also true: (1) The FEDERAL constitution is the supreme law of the land and supersedes state laws and constitutions; (2) state laws and constitutional provisions may be struck as violative of the federal constitution; (3) LOCAL policing has its origin in the bounty hunters for escaped slaves; and (4) the Declaration and the Constitution, having authors in common are NOT free of the racism (“the ruthless Indian savages” for example) and the misogyny (no franchise or property ownership for women) of their time.
Unless Quinlan has a well-drafted contract in his favor that grants him operational independence, he has no recourse in this situation. City police chiefs in SC can absolutely be subject to the supervisional authority of a city administrator. County sheriffs are constitutional officers with far greater legal autonomy. I do think the legislature should seriously consider drafting some laws that give municipal police chiefs greater insulation from political meddling and personality clashes with the city administrator.
So let me understand, while he uncovered illegal wrong doing and planned as a police officer to take action, the town administrator have the final say so? Explains the corruption in this state and the good ole boy system at it’s best.
How about nepotism? Does that come into play here? Just asking?
Sadly, the answer to your question is “yes.” I don’t know anything about nepotism involved with this particular situation, but I think that’s not barred at the muni level by state law.