Lower peninsula jittery about crime
Merchants' fears unwarranted, Chief Mullen says
Melissa Haneline
The Post and Courier
Gary Dow, proprietor of The Tavern Wine and Spirits on East Bay Street started carrying a gun after a customer committed heavy shoplifting against him.
Someone raped a woman at a Queen Street convenience store in broad daylight. Someone else vandalized almost two dozen cars near The Battery. A mugger struck on Valentine's Day at Waterfront Park.
The last straw for one merchant on the lower Charleston peninsula came a week ago, during what he called a "heavy shoplifting" incident at his liquor store.
Five men entered The Tavern Wine & Spirits on East Bay Street, gathered up $200 worth of alcohol and left without paying. Owner Gary Dow thinks — but isn't entirely sure — that one of the men showed him a pistol grip in his waistband, as though to show he meant business. Dow recalled seeing through the front window a couple pushing a baby carriage as the incident unfolded.
"I'm one citizen who's had enough of the crime," Dow said. "This is not a South-of-Broad, rich-white-person problem. This is a problem throughout the whole Lowcountry."
By all accounts, touristy Broad Street and nearby environs hardly rate as a dangerous area. Dow and other merchants want to keep it that way.
But the rape, multiple instances of car vandalism and mugging earlier this year have caused concern. Dow also points to some troubling trends for the entire region in the form of a recent survey that ranked South Carolina the fourth-most-violent state in the country, based on data from 2005 and 2006. Another survey placed neighboring North Charleston at No. 7 among the most crime- ridden U.S. cities.
As of late, almost no corner of the Lowcountry has been untouched by violent crime. Armed robberies surged early last year at businesses in cozy Mount Pleasant. A shopkeeper in North Charleston's Olde Village was shot in the arm in November when he tried to use a golf club to fend off armed robbers.
Police Chief Greg Mullen said the rape on Queen Street was a horrible but isolated incident. His officers arrested a suspect within days. Minutes after the robbery at Waterfront Park, officers arrested two suspects.
Most of the crime on the lower peninsula this year has been property crime, he said, and there hasn't been all that much of that.
"I don't see any spiral or any spike or any significant increase in crime in that area," the chief said.
Police have responded to two home burglaries below Queen Street this year, and the majority of the 11 robberies on the lower peninsula have occurred near Spring and Cannon streets.
"The reality of it is, every Monday I look at what's happening in the city. I have to look at the map of the city where the crime is happening. And it's definitely not in that area."
Most of the businesses along Broad Street are small, and owners are likely to work behind the counter. While their uniqueness adds to the area's charm, business owners feel it also makes them more vulnerable; they aren't big chain stores with deep pockets.
Jeannett Cooper Nicholson, a Broad Street art gallery owner, worries that nuisances such as panhandlers and graffiti could grow if not kept in check.
"We do feel like a strong police presence in the area would be a deterrent to any increasing crime," she said.
Stephanie Hamlet, another gallery owner, wants police to be more visible.
"I like it when there's a policeman who walks down the street ... pokes their head in the door and says, 'Hello,' " she said.
Hamlet, Nicholson and Dow aren't criticizing the police. They want more officers on the street.
Since his run-in, Dow has talked with Chief Greg Mullen. Patrol officers have dropped by his store.
Dow says the police need help. He's heard about the four-month waiting period before officers can enroll in the state Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia. He's convinced that politicians are holding up a plan to decentralize the state academy and build separate, regional facilities. Mullen, among others, thinks regional academies could speed up the process.
"It's being sandbagged by Columbia," Dow said. "It's just a matter of getting the politicians to unstick themselves from their leather chairs."
Mullen recently had 15 recruits waiting to enroll in the academy.
"If I had them out on the streets, I'd be able to do a lot more," the chief said.
The head of the academy, William Neill, is retiring today after eight years leading the agency through lean times, cutbacks and a difficult transition to independence. Neill and other opponents to the plan worry that satellite facilities would siphon funds from the central academy. The training council rejected the proposal earlier this year, and the Sheriff's Association has vowed to oppose attempts to resurrect it.
Bo Petersen contributed to this report. Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com.
E-mail this story 
Printer-friendly version
Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.
Comments
This article has 42 comment(s)
Posted by chucktonian on March 28, 2008 at 1:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
you reap what you sow. the politicians and cops are weak on crime, so the animals take advantage. build more prisons, charge up the tasers and start cracking heads.
Posted by pirate42 on March 28, 2008 at 3:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let the bleeding heart liberals give the crackheads and panhandlers early release or bail shop owners SHOOT TO KILL there like rats need to be exterminated not encarcarated anymore why feed them....
Posted by ballachulish on March 28, 2008 at 4 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's not the liberals who reduced the federal funding to local police departments it was the GOP and Bush.
Crime nationally was way down under Clinton and has surged alongside spending, oil prices and foreclosues since GOP,Inc. has been in charge.
Note to right-wingers: You can't spend like Spitzer w/ a call girl if you don't have the cash. Oh, I forgot y'all prefer the wide-stance method of screwing the country.
Posted by Slick50 on March 28, 2008 at 5:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is the responsibility of law enforcement to gather evidence and make a lawful arrest. The judiciary is tasked with hearing the evidence and rendering a verdict. The job of a slick attorney is to short-circuit both of these processes.
Posted by watchdog on March 28, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Its your State government that is at fault here. The fact is, who is in charge at the state level? This state is run like a 3rd world country, stop fighting each other, and start throwing the bums out in Columbia. Become an independent, screw the parties, vote on the issues that effect us all. Independent thinking is the way to go.
We do not need more prisons, we need better education.
Posted by trm2105 on March 28, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
well said, Watchdog.
Posted by Running on March 28, 2008 at 7:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Everybody wants to blame the GOP or liberals. I don't beleive that things in this country change much from party to party because they are not held responsible. Send a message to the State and national goverments to stop fighting and sit down and come up with a solution to the problem. Also maybe people should look at the person not the party.I beleive that alot of politicans are elected due to their party and not what they actually stand for.
As far as crime, alot of them are repeat offenders who should not be on the street. I'm tired of these guys getting chance after chance after chance. A solution is lock them away. I don't care that they have to share a prison cell with more than one person. They should have thought of that before they did the crime.
Posted by common_sense_plz on March 28, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They would have more time to fight real crime if they weren't standing on the street corner writing no seat belt tickets.
Posted by ticket3477 on March 28, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
do a way with public funding. Force these wastes of flesh to get a job and move them out of downtown. OUT! There are more examples of problems in downtown than just the few they listed. Theres at least one CofC student robbed a weekend by the thugs that are allowed to just roam the streets of downtown late at night.
Ridiculous.
Posted by bluenoterain on March 28, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ah, the P & C comment section - where intelligence goes to die.
Posted by icbmman on March 28, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, liberalism is not a party; it's a mental illness that permeates throughout both major parties, Democrat and Republican. The concept of increasing government to fix problems has done nothing but create more problems and aggravate the current ones.
Constant bureaucracy and the incompetance of our state legislature has tied the hands of many police forces from vague jurisdictions because of crazy city limits to hampering efforts to bring in more recruits while keeping the experienced officers. Meanwhile, the criminals rape and pillage the city because being a crook is "cool" now due to the insane liberal ideas being driven in public education and in popular culture. The liberals have done a damn good job of creating an entitlement society that breeds these bastards as well.
The problem is multi-faceted, as it is with most problems that government tries to fix. The first thing to do is to build up police presence. While they do it in some parts of the city, other parts are neglected; fill the holes. Next, allow law abiding citizens to arm themselves. An armed citizenry will reduce crime: studies constantly show this.
Posted by ticket3477 on March 28, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
exactly...all the police downtown care about are seat belt tickets and parking tickets and then on the weekends they try to bust up parties. Right...because parties are the big issue guys...
downtown police dept. is a joke. They told me that when my phone was stolen because I got in touch with the culprits (via my phone) and said I would pay for it that they couldnt do anything. WHY NOT! they still stole it! Just because I wanted my damn phone back and didnt trust the police to do their jobs...B.S.
Posted by desspec on March 28, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Imagine the trouble Mr. Dow would be in if he had shot those cockroaches ....
Posted by Larz13 on March 28, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
desspec-probably not in as much trouble if he were living in CT or MD.
Posted by georgebushsux on March 28, 2008 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ah...the sweet smell of GOP hypocrital crap, where the rich keep getting more wealthy and the middle class and poor fight over the scraps. Where crime is a problem created by liberals, because God isn't present in our class rooms & our society! BS! Check your facts since F.Roosevelt the Grand Old Party has run this country 36 years to 28 years of Dem's. GOP are as much to blame for where we are as a nation than liberal dem's and us independants.
Keep believing that the wealthy GOP leaders and backers are going to lead you to the promise land $ ? Good Luck!
Posted by 512c on March 28, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If all the tourist would have the freedom to buy marijuana at these corner stores, or even coca... Or perhaps a pipe full of opuim.. These gang run thugs wouldn't have a market!!
Posted by yeahright on March 28, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This country was founded on liberal beliefs.
"a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, and governmental guarantees of individual rights and civil liberties."
Posted by CHRISJIII on March 28, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks Yeahright. Maybe now that they know the correct meaning of the word maybe they'll start using it. Then again not. So true Bluenoterain.
Posted by Edwin435 on March 28, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Police presence and enforcing that current laws are what is needed in this case. With that being said, we can open a Pandora's box to see all the causes of crime. The simple fact of this is the lack of education and parenting are the causes of these problem. Parents don't instill the moral backbone, family values, or the work ethic that is needed these days. The education system is not working in that students that do not excel are not taught a viable trade hence they have no way of making a living. The good students are hampered by this disruption and suffer. All this coupled with the instant gratification that people expect today has contributed to these crimes. I guess the big question is what can we do to stop these crimes and what steps do we as a society need to take in order for the future generation of kids to grow up and become productive members instead of thugs, thieves, and miscreants......
Posted by glevans on March 28, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was raised in North Charleston (what used to be called Charleston Heights). We never had any problems when I was growing up. We used to walk the neighborhood in the evenings and felt safe but there is no way you can do that now. The street where we used to live is now run down and falling apart...not to mention the murders and drug busts that happen there. When we moved from there in the early 90's (when the shipyard began to close) we had hoped that someday we would go back home but now, there is no way that we will ever return to the area. Too much violence and too much hate...we have decided to stay where we are and not come back...ever.
Posted by pompusmaximus on March 28, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't even imagine what they would have done to a black guy who raped a young white woman in broad daylight 100 or even 50 years ago. He is lucky to live in the 21st century.
Posted by iceman1978 on March 28, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
glevans, I know what you mean. I used to live in one of the neighborhoods at the end of Ashley Phosphate and Dorchester. Nice area at the time but I wouldn't live there again. We moved to Goose Creek in 1997, and then I moved to James Island about six months ago.
Posted by eyfigueroa on March 28, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
pompus: your screen name serves you well. What's wrong? No one bringing out the race card fast enough for you?
30 years ago he would have be inexplicably beaten and tortured in a seemingly locked jail cell. that's what would have happened. Of course the white man who murdered his wife the previous week sharing his cell wouldn't have heard or seen a thing.
What i find interesting is that you would even bring up color. a black man raped a white woman. so what? A woman was violated regardless of her race or that of the perp. The rapists is an animal and is deserving of the highest/worst punishment.
I'm glad I was able to feed your salacious need for racial 'debate'.
Posted by ballachulish on March 28, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, I had 2 cups of coffee and I'm not a guy.....
But everytime I read a irrational rant and the word "liberal", I plan to bring up the GOP and their wide stances.
In fact, Democrat is to liberal as GOP is to wide-stances.
Liberal is just a buzz word to the wide-stancers, it gets them riled up so that they ignore the outing of a covert CIA agent, the massive boom in illegal immigration of the last 7 years, and the absolute abdication of oversight over the banking industry.
I don't think the liberal tag is going to work this election, boys. Most Americans have peeked behind the curtain and found a con man, not a wizard.
Posted by Edwin435 on March 28, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Its sad that people tend to interject race into this. I think that is should be crime against humans...not black on white, white on white, or yellow on yellow..While the numbers to say that these crimes are done largely by blacks it should be pointed out that the crimes were done by bad humans on good humans. Leave race out of it.
Posted by Edwin435 on March 28, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Balla....And what does this have to do with crime in Charleston? Nothing at all. While the banking crisis is bad...since when is it governments job to insure that people don't make poor financial decisions? Or the outing of a covert CIA agent? What does that matter? We have spent so much money investigation issues that have no impact on real citizens...How about the investigation into the firing of the US attorneys? I don't care...more money spent by congress for no other reason than to have a political witch hunt..I could care less...The Clinton's have done far worse... Illegal immigration was here long before Bush....But these items are for another forum.
Posted by ballachulish on March 28, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Edwin,
I was responding initially to the previous post blaming the liberals for the increase in crime, when statistics show crime plummetted under Clinton's administration, and has increased under the GOP.
Re: The banking issue. People are greedy, both the fools who bought over their means w/ crazy terms and the bankers and developers who took advantage of lack of federal oversight that allowed them to act irresponsibly. I'm against any bail out of the banks or the buyers.
As for wasting money on investigations, were you complaining about the 55 mil attempt to bring down Clinton? Thought not.
Please tell me one thing Clinton did that was worse than the Katrina debacle, the treasonous outing of Valerie Plame, not providing adequate equipment to the troops, the firings of Shinseki and Fallon, inadequate funding and care at Walter Reed, and on and on....
Posted by Larz13 on March 28, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)
bella,
The Katrina disaster has more to do with an incompetent mayor and governor. There were many more hurricaines that hit FL in the last few years and you never had anything like that happen. In fact, the local authorities initially told the Feds to stay away. With your inherent liberal bias, you must find it easy to blame the GOP, but in this case you have to look at the local folks fisrt in charge and place most of the blame there. The Feds are not innocent in this case, but they are far from the only contributing factor, let alone the primary one.
Even the congressman Re. Johnson that represents the area got caught with dirty $$ in his freezer.
Posted by Snuffy63 on March 28, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we need to have a clean sweep throughout Charleston. We need to let the local criminal population know that this is not a safe haven. Instead of giving speeding tickets for doing 40mph in a 25mph area with nothing but trees around to get your "public contact" numbers up, the police need to focus on people with drugs and such and lock them up. I know we are running out of jail space. Why not get the Mexican goverment to build some prisons on their side of the border and for every prisoner they keep for us we let in one QUALIFIED immigrant. One that has been checked out medically and has no criminal background. I know that we can't get rid of ALL the criminals but we need to encourage them to go somewhere else. Start with pulling down project homes downtown and move them to new goverment housing farther out, split them up into smaller groups. Institute new rules that if you or anyone in your house does drugs and gets caught or commits a felony, your out. I know, too many bleeding heart liberals to do what needs to be done. (and organized crime has too much power to let anyone close them down.)
I love Charleston and I'd love to see us sweep through and clean it up.
Posted by ballachulish on March 28, 2008 at 12:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Larz13,
Incompetence was rampant in Katrina amongst all involved, but never have I seen the indifference to human suffering that was exhibited in New Orleans by our GOP leaders.
I agree w/ you about Rep. Jefferson (not Johnson), he should be in the slammer alongside his republican colleague Vitter, also of Louisiana, who was named in the DC madame case and has a little issue with hookers...
Come on, you accuse me of having a liberal bias, I guess I can accuse you of having the usual ignorant GOP bias 'cause you can't bother getting Jefferson's name right.
Posted by Edwin435 on March 28, 2008 at 1:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You ask what clinton did that was worse.....Letting the military fall into disarray...Somalia, Bosnia, impeached, whitewater, Vince Foster, China Espionage and if you think that Clinton did not have anything to do with the military not having the right tools you are high...( lol ) Not to mention...I DID NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH THE WOMAN.... How does that rate????
Posted by awwhite1134 on March 28, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i invite all of you to look @ what mullen is refering to crimeweb.net sign up for emails for your area crime
plain and simple..very little crime happens south of calhoun...the majority of it is on the east and west sides of...town ..these people need to wake up and actually meet mullen hes a terrific person... hes doing a hell of a job, they saturate high crime areas with officers not low crime areas where a sporadic graffiti tag or broken car window ... crime can happen anywhere at anytime in any comunity...you cant stop it all bozos...be realistic...geez..
Posted by theronce on March 28, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Right or wrong, the chief does not see an increase in crime in that area, so whatever level of crime there is there is to be expected to continue, I guess. Dow says that the police need help because they cannot get enough policeman through school, so whatever level of police presence is there now is to be expected to continue, I guess. If you can forgive my tired refrain...Government cannot or will not protect you. If you have anything, you had best be prepared to protect you and yours. You are on the front line.
Posted by pompusmaximus on March 28, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ha, no no somebody had a comment about race before my post which must have been removed. The commenter asked why "he wasn't hanging from a tree?"
(That was actually the nice version of what he asked.)
Posted by ln1959 on March 28, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MichaelsAdvocate,
Theres your problem, listening to Rush Limbaugh. Please be your own person and find out information for yourself. I would advise you to listen to the hold speech and make your own decision .
Posted by cnstreet on March 28, 2008 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't believe so many of you people believe that this has anything to do with National politics.
It's all about eyes on the streets. More and more homes near south of broad are empty 9 months out of the year when they used to be full with families. Also, I lived downtown in this area for several years up until a few years ago. Police used to heavily patrol this area during that time. I used to see Reuben Greenberg himself patrolling the area a lot and many times of the day. On average, I used to see him 2-3 times a week in the areas between spring street and the battery.
I get the feeling the current police chief just stays in the station looking at his maps. Boy, they have really cracked down on those drinking college students. Way to prioritize!
Posted by ballachulish on March 28, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Edwin....
Please... you poor deluded wide-stancer....George H. Bush sent the troops to Somalia, VP Cheney's senior aide was caught spying for the Phillipines, last year a DOD analyst was caught spying for Israel, Vince Foster committed suicide as numerous independant sources have shown, and the military received more pay raises during the Clinton administration than they have since then. Ethnic cleansing was stopped in Bosnia, and a lasting peace was brokered in Ireland after 5oo years of strife, by George Mitchell as a special envoy sent by Clinton. Oh yeah, and he lied about having a liason with a consenting adult.
I'm not a Clinton fan, but he was far more sucessful than any Republican we've had in office since Teddy Roosevelt.
He can walk unguarded in most countries in the world and is treated as a hero.
The sooner that you accept that the GOP's administration has been a complete failure, you can begin to heal....
Posted by awwhite1134 on March 28, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
cns street you really are an idiot.. hes actually busy attending crime prevention meetings for our sake in almost every neighbohood, hes busy meeting his brass every monday to establish what is the big task of the week, hes also busy walking harlestion green and the east side where crime happens every day, where drugs are being delt every day, where strong arm robberies happen every day i present you two links one where you can see the cheifs schedule of crime prevention meetings, so you meet him yourself and actually explain to you what hes doing, the other a crime database which maps out crimes . http://www.charlestoncity.info/dept/cont...
crimeweb.net sign up for your emails..
Posted by buff_o_rilla on March 28, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Those that scream out its an educational issue, the fact is the people creating the crimes dont want to be educated, they want the things you and i have without any effort on their part other than taking it away from us. As far as race, im gonna twist it around and say its not racial, its cultural and it stems from the african american mindset and gangster culture.
Posted by walleyedwoman1215 on March 29, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
balla, you are very articulate!
Posted by mstaterhed on March 29, 2008 at 9:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
First of all, this site does have a 'preview comment' option. Might I suggest everyone use it and correct spelling and grammar issues? We aren't phone texting here! The crime issue is a serious one; I moved back to West Ashley two years ago to avoid crime in North Charleston after being a victim of armed robbery and auto theft. In the past month, my apartment complex has had 2 robberies and 2 burglaries in 3 weeks. Crime is rising; there are no easy fixes. I agree that repeat offenders should not be able to post bail. The excuses that the repeat offenders are supposed to have 'due process' offends me. The man who robbed us was on parole from a previous armed robbery. Why were we not informed of the fact by our landlord? Maybe ALL convicted of a crime should be required to register with the government the same as sex offenders are. Maybe we should pass a law that renters should be notified if a released covict moves into an apartment complex, giving them the option to nullify the lease if desired. There are no easy answers, but there are a lot of good ideas. Let's focus on them, shall we? Letters to the State Senate and House will help much more than ranting here!
Posted by mstaterhed on March 29, 2008 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I appparently missed the 'n' in convict on my previous post, although I did preview. My apologies.