Criminal Investigations
The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) serves as the main investigative branch of the Department. Officers assigned to CID conduct follow-up investigations for criminal cases and respond to crime scenes when requested. Each case is reviewed for solvability factors and assigned to an investigator for follow-up based on the type of crime.
Lieutenant Mike Patterson leads CID.
The Criminal Investigation Division is comprised of a sergeant and three detectives.
The Investigations Division is staffed by three detectives. Two officers are assigned to general investigations in which each handles a variety of cases such as burglaries, larcenies, and assaults. The remaining Detective has the daunting task of the reduction of illegal narcotic distribution.
General Investigations
The Criminal Investigation Division has the responsibility of handling criminal case investigations, including Arson, Burglary, Child Abuse, Deaths, Homicides, Forgery, Rape, Robbery, and other crimes which require investigative expertise because of the complexity of the crime.
Narcotic Investigations
The Narcotics Unit is responsible for enforcing and investigating all narcotics complaints and violations within the City of Hanahan. This is accomplished by executing search warrants, investigating drug overdose incidents and conducting undercover narcotics investigations. The Narcotics Unit also provides interdepartmental narcotics training and promotes drug awareness and prevention.
The Narcotics Unit frequently conducts joint investigations with other law enforcement agencies, including the Charleston County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
School Resource Officers
Hanahan Police has two School Resource Officers who are assigned to Hanahan High School and Hanahan Middle School.
The HPD School Resource Officer Program was begun with the intent to improve community relationships by participating with students in a non-confrontational setting and working with faculty and parents in the educational process. This is done by establishing rapport with the students and being available for them when they have questions or concerns, by establishing programs in concert with the school administration to address safety and security issues as well as educational programs and by acting as a counselor/mediator for the parents and the students.
Some activities of the SRO include:
- Addressing crime and disorder problems on campus by taking enforcement action when necessary however, the SRO will conduct investigations as needed, but will focus on prevention;
- Developing a Peer Mediation Program to teach students alternative ways to deal with their differences/disputes without resorting to violence;
- Developing or expanding juvenile justice programs such as a Juvenile Diversion Program for first time offenders;
- Facilitating collaborative problem solving with students, parents, teachers, faculty, and staff to address school safety issues;
- Attend extracurricular activities held on campus when possible;
- Teaching law-related educational courses to students and/or faculty;
- Addressing truancy as a school problem as well as how it relates to crime in the community.