What’s behind a traffic stop, as conducted by the Sheriff’s Office
Traffic stops are considered by the Oconee Sheriff’s Office as out of the ordinary, but sometimes needed for public safety. The Sheriff’s Office released numbers today to indicate that, on the average, its officers have stopped fewer than five vehicles a day over the last three years. The basic definition of a traffic stop, according to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, is a temporary detention to conduct an investigation or to conduct an enforcement action. A traffic stop normally occurs because of a violation of traffic law or the observance by an officer of suspicious or criminal activity. However, the officer must be able to articulate the reason for the stop. Law enforcement considers traffic stops some of the most dangerous duties that officers conduct on a daily basis. “Considering that traffic stops are anything but routine and can present danger to our officers, the Sheriff’s Office trains our officers to be cautious but remain courteous and professional,” says Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw. “Some of our citizens never interact with law enforcement unless they are involved in a traffic stop. We want our deputies’ interaction to be as professional as possible. We encourage our citizens to remain calm, be honest, and simply comply with the information needed. If there is an issue with how you were treated, feel free to follow up with the deputy’s supervisor.” If you have a concealed weapon due to having a concealed weapon permit, let the officer know upfront. Drivers are allowed to carry a firearm in the glove compartment without a CWP permit and should inform the officer as well if this is the case. The only exception would apply to people who have been convicted of a crime prohibiting them from possessing a firearm. South Carolina law also requires officers who initiate traffic stops to record certain information, such as the age, gender and race of individuals that they pull over. Below are statistics and a breakdown of information on Sheriff’s Office traffic stops in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The Sheriff’s Office initiated 1,770 vehicle stops in 2015 compared to 1,979 in 2014 and 1,371 in 2013. The following is a breakdown of the ethnicity for males and females:
2013 – Female – 13 Hispanic, 85 African American, 366 Caucasian, 13 Other
Male – 44 Hispanic, 129 African American, 710 Caucasian, 11 Other
2014 – Female – 24 Hispanic, 106 African American, 535 Caucasian, 13 Other
Male – 82 Hispanic, 216 African American, 988 Caucasian, 15 Other
2015 – Female – 21 Hispanic, 59 African American, 465 Caucasian, 4 other
Male – 67 Hispanic, 146 African American, 971 Caucasian, 16 other
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