Hazing jurisdiction question answered

A meeting today between the Walhalla Police Chief and the Oconee County Sheriff settled jurisdiction questions about the potential that crimes were committed last week during the Razorback soccer team’s return bus trip from a game at Pickens. Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says the result of his meeting with Police Chief Ronald Wilbanks is that the city police will remain the primary investigative agency to determine what, if any, crimes were committed as the result of what school authorities have termed an incident of hazing. At the same time, however, Crenshaw said he has offered the resources of his office to assist in the investigation. According to the sheriff, state law is clear that investigative authority remains with the police department’s school resource officer—no matter where the hazing is suspected to have occurred, whether it was in Pickens County, in Oconee County, or in the city of Walhalla.