Brief History

For over 150 years, the Sumter Police Department has been serving the citizens of Sumter, South Carolina on the solid foundation of public trust and safety. Sumter PD officers serve a 40,000-strong town and are committed to treating all in our vibrant community fairly and with respect. We are a CALEA accredited agency and maintain their gold standard of serving and protecting our communities.

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Executive Staff

Get to know the executive staff of the Sumter Police Department

Divisions

Explore the different divisions of the Sumter Police Department.

Community Programs

Learn about the programs behind our community-oriented policing approach.

Careers

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Testimonials

Learn what people are saying about the Sumter Police Department.

The Sumter Community

Discover the beautiful town of Sumter, SC that we call home.

SPD Latest

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Columbia man charged in shooting

SUMTER, SC (March 28, 2024) – A Columbia man is charged in connection with a shooting earlier this month that left a man injured.

Robert Lee Wilson, 47, of Creek Way Lane, is charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Officers were responding to shots heard in the Manning Avenue area before 4:30 a.m. March 16 when they found a victim inside a Bee Street motorcycle club. Several men were inside the club at the time of the shooting and only saw the victim when he cmae inside with gunshot wounds.

The victim, 53, of Sumter was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey and transferred to a Columbia hospital where he remains in critical condition.

Based on information gathered in the case, officers identified Wilson as the shooter. He turned himself in to police Tuesday and was booked at the county detention center.

An investigation is continuing.

-END-

Approved for media release by Chief Russell F. Roark, III
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Columbia man charged in shooting

SUMTER, SC (March 28, 2024) – A Columbia man is charged in connection with a shooting earlier this month that left a man injured.

Robert Lee Wilson, 47, of Creek Way Lane, is charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Officers were responding to shots heard in the Manning Avenue area before 4:30 a.m. March 16 when they found a victim inside a Bee Street motorcycle club. Several men were inside the club at the time of the shooting and only saw the victim when he cmae inside with gunshot wounds.

The victim, 53, of Sumter was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey and transferred to a Columbia hospital where he remains in critical condition.

Based on information gathered in the case, officers identified Wilson as the shooter. He turned himself in to police Tuesday and was booked at the county detention center. 

An investigation is continuing.

-END-

Approved for media release by Chief Russell F. Roark, III

6 CommentsComment on Facebook

Sumter County Sheriff's Office (Sumter, SC)said it was ok to be able to carry. They want the criminals to take each other out. Looks to me it’s working.since then there’s been a few shootings a week. The problem is innocent people are getting killed in the crossfire

Ughhhhhhh almost 50 years old Smh

Glad he’s off the streets!!!

Why can’t you settle things with words or at least with fists like real men???

Brenda Tomlin-Mcdonald Elaine Rhodes

Bye bye.

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MISSING: Family members and police need your help to find Justin Lee Harrell, 43.
Harrell, who is considered homeless/transient, was last seen by family in June 2022. However, they were in contact with him by phone earlier this year.
It is unclear if he remains in the Sumter area.
Harrell is described as 6 feet tall, weighs about 150 lbs., and has blue eyes and light-brown colored hair.
Please call the Sumter Police Department at 803-436-2700 or the nearest law enforcement agency if you have seen Harrell or know where he can be found. Always dial 911 in an emergency.
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MISSING: Family members and police need your help to find Justin Lee Harrell, 43.
Harrell, who is considered homeless/transient, was last seen by family in June 2022. However, they were in contact with him by phone earlier this year. 
It is unclear if he remains in the Sumter area.
Harrell is described as 6 feet tall, weighs about 150 lbs., and has blue eyes and light-brown colored hair.
Please call the Sumter Police Department at 803-436-2700 or the nearest law enforcement agency if you have seen Harrell or know where he can be found. Always dial 911 in an emergency.

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

Chaisen Larkins does this look like our guy to you?

Gift Of Love Ministry-SUMTER

🙏🙏🙏

🙏🙏🙏

Reposted on Date Last Seen

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DRIVER ALERT: Power outages are being reported in parts of the city, affecting traffic signals.
Treat intersections where signals are out as a four-way stop.
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DRIVER ALERT: Power outages are being reported in parts of the city, affecting traffic signals.
Treat intersections where signals are out as a four-way stop.

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

Is this affecting any stores?

They treat stop signs like a flashing yellow, which is the same as a green light, they just roll on through

Need to start writing some tickets to teach people. A school bus just about got in an accident this morning because of idiots not stopping as they should.

Kind of scary that anyone with a drivers license doesn’t know this.

Sports complex vandalized
Reward offered for information leading to arrests

SUMTER, SC (March 26, 2024) – Officers are working to identify and find the persons responsible for more than $100,000 in damage discovered Monday morning at the Patriot Park sports complex.

An up to $5,000 reward is available for information that can lead to arrests. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sumter Police Department at 803-436-2700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Officers were called to the complex after 7:30 a.m. Monday when
a walker discovered a possible break-in at the facility.

Officers found graffiti in black paint that was taken from the storage area of the park and damage to equipment and electronics including the heating and air conditioning units, computers and camera/security system and to the concession stand and various supplies. Damage also was found in the restrooms.

The vandalism happened sometime after closing at 8 p.m. Sunday and the time of discovery Monday morning. Police ask that if you saw anyone or heard anything in the area of the complex between those hours to contact the department immediately.

Tips also can be given to Crime Stoppers on its website at P3tips.com or by using the P3tips app that is available to iOs and Android devices.

-END-

Approved for media release by Chief Russell F. Roark, III
... See MoreSee Less

Sports complex vandalized
Reward offered for information leading to arrests

SUMTER, SC (March 26, 2024) – Officers are working to identify and find the persons responsible for more than $100,000 in damage discovered Monday morning at the Patriot Park sports complex.

An up to $5,000 reward is available for information that can lead to arrests. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sumter Police Department at 803-436-2700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Officers were called to the complex after 7:30 a.m. Monday when 
a walker discovered a possible break-in at the facility.

Officers found graffiti in black paint that was taken from the storage area of the park and damage to equipment and electronics including the heating and air conditioning units, computers and camera/security system and to the concession stand and various supplies. Damage also was found in the restrooms.

The vandalism happened sometime after closing at 8 p.m. Sunday and the time of discovery Monday morning. Police ask that if you saw anyone or heard anything in the area of the complex between those hours to contact the department immediately.

Tips also can be given to Crime Stoppers on its website at P3tips.com or by using the P3tips app that is available to iOs and Android devices.

-END-

Approved for media release by Chief Russell F. Roark, IIIImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

52 CommentsComment on Facebook

100k. That sounds pretty excessive. Good thing that 1.8 billion was just found. Now this is where they can use some of it.

And again this is way we can't have anything nice in Sumter!!!

Absolutely pathetic. Find them and make them do the repairs and clean up.

Sumter can’t have anything nice for our kids because of these people that have no morals or self respect. It is beyond ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!! Please catch them and jail them!!

I hope they catch whoever did this. That is why we can’t have anything decent in Sumter for our kids!

Can we all give WHAT THE FOOD TRUCK props for coming in and feeding everyone at the soccer games at Patriot Park last night because of this! Stephanie is the real MVP! 💙

This is terrible!!!! This is for our children to play the sports they love! They deserve a nice complex to play! I do not understand why!!!! I pray they are found!

People want to know why sumter cant get anything decent for kids or families to do this is why

When and if they catch them. Will they be punished? If too young to go to jail. Make them work it off.

Sure hope they get caught quickly! Everyone should Keep an eye out on all Other public facilities.

That is ridiculous!! People need to grow up and find better things to do with their time!

Thank you What The Food Truck, LLC for stepping up and feeding everyone there. But unfortunately this is very sad. Everyone wants something nice for sumter for the kids/family and then when we do have something decent someone has to mess it up because it's not what they like/want/or just don't give a crap about. It's time to grow up and stop with this. We all want better for ourselves and our kids so grow up stop teaching then this behavior is ok.

The reason people call Sumter "Scumter".

Parents, get a grip on your kids

Praying for whom ever did this. This park was for everyone including the ones who tore it up. It was for their families. Their children and future grandchildren. I pray God will convict their hearts and they turn away from wickedness . I also pray justice will be served to those who done this. Put them to work so when they have idle time maybe they will be to tired to destroy anyone else's property. This park belongs to everyone in Sumter County. Let's all look out for one another and what we pay taxes for.

Our kids deserve to have a nice place to play. Whoever did this needs to brought forward and made an example to clean this up. We need security at these parks too.

They need to hire security I've never seen such foolishness like this we got an influx that's crazy kids teenagers and strange people coming to our states and we don't even know who they are the situation will only get worse if our state and local government does not put a foot hole and give people severe punishments

He got a lot of these other cities and you see all these beautiful things and people don't mess with them but yet anything we have here in Sumter somebody has got to destroy it it's ridiculous

Why why why. This is just awful

A few ruin it for everybody!!!!!!

So were the camera's that are vandalized not operational at the time of the incident? Should have footage?

So disappionting.

Autumn Christman Lisa Haselden 🥺

Man bruh they finna ban us from playing out there smh.

So sad.

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CALEA Accredited

Being a Police Officer in a CALEA Accredited Department means you belong to an agency that is committed to following best practice standards developed by federal, state, and local law enforcement executives through comprehensive research. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to personnel.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations:

  • International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
  • National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
  • National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA)
  • Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

SPECIFICALLY, CALEA’S GOALS ARE TO:

  • Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities
  • Formalize essential management procedures
  • Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices
  • Improve service delivery
  • Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination
  • Increase community and staff confidence in the agency