North Charleston police officer fired after drug test

A sergeant in the North Charleston Police Department's internal affairs unit was fired this month after testing positive for cocaine during a random drug screening.

Chief Jon Zumalt fired Sgt. Raymond L. Garrison on March 14 for violating the department's drug policy, according to documents released Tuesday in response to an S.C. Freedom of Information Act request made March 17.

Brady Hair, an attorney for North Charleston, confirmed Wednesday that the controlled substance was cocaine but that it wouldn't matter under the department's zero-tolerance policy. "As far as I know, a re-test was not requested," Hair said.

Garrison could not be reached for comment.

Garrison has served in multiple capacities in his 22 years with the department.

At the time of his firing he was in the department's Office of Professional Standards, which investigates complaints against officers. Garrison was assigned to the unit about five months ago, Hair said.

His firing came about two weeks after Zumalt announced that the department was attempting to strengthen integrity and values in the 325-officer agency in response to at least four alcohol-related arrests involving officers in the past six months.

Zumalt, who declined comment Wednesday, said this month that all officers would be directed to meet with chaplains from the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy.

The chaplains, along with majors and captains, would hold team meetings to discuss ethics, responsibility and how to deal with job, financial and personal stress.

Personnel records show that Garrison was suspended twice in his 22 years. He was suspended for 40 hours in 1997 for not obeying a superior officer's orders and for 24 hours in 2008 for being disrespectful to a supervisor, according to documents.