ABOUT THE NORTH CHARLESTON POLICE TRAFFIC UNIT

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The primary goal of the North Charleston Police Department Traffic Unit is to reduce injuries and deaths which occur as a result of traffic collisions. We are committed to accomplish this goal by providing positive and proactive education in the field of traffic related issues and by enforcing the South Carolina traffic laws when necessary.

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North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in South Carolina with a residential population of 86,000 and an average of 250,000 motorists use the roadways to travel through the city on a daily basis. North Charleston covers 62 square miles including 2 major Interstate highways. To accommodate the volume of traffic and collisions which occur from this increase of traffic, the North Charleston Police Department has supplimented the number of officers assigned to the Traffic Unit from eight officers in 2000, to nineteen in 2005. Currently the Traffic Unit has has one Captain, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, two Corporals, and eight officers assigned between an evening and a day shift. Four of those officers are assigned to the Motor Squad.

In addition to enforcing traffic laws, officers also investigate traffic collisions and may also be utilized for any other special situation which requires traffic control. Examples would include major accidents, structure fires, explosions, crowd control, community events, and even high profile dignitary escorts.
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Traffic Unit officers are responsible for investigating and reconstructing serious injury and fatal collisions. A team of four or five traffic investigators are on call at all times during the day or night. One team is on call at all times who respond to the scene of serious injury or fatal collisions and investigate them there. The team then follows up the investigation with an appropriate reconstruction and files felony or misdemeanor charges as necessary.

Traffic Unit officers receive training in Radar/Lidar speed detection devices, Datamaster, Advanced D.U.I. detection techniques, various traffic collision reconstruction classes and other traffic related classes designed to provide the
North Charleston Police Traffic Citation
training and knowledge needed to be effective in meeting the goals of the Traffic Unit as well as the North Charleston Police Department.