Avoid the stripclubs like the plauge! Read on.
You remember last summer when I had posted an article how they were to crack down on prostition on the streets and very shortly thereafter the vice squad hit the usual spots hard?
Well, just today in the paper they are talking about hitting the strip clubs. You guys may want to lay low for a few months.
In the Sun news TODAY:
'Sleaze team' targets adult-entertainment facilities
By Janelle Frost
The Sun News
In an effort to crack down on illegal activities at adult-entertainment establishments in the area, Horry County police proposed creating a "sleaze team" during a public-safety committee meeting Monday.
"I think any community of our size, you find those sleaze elements," said County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland, who was not at Monday's meeting. "All you have to do is drive around and see the escort services to know that there's a problem here."
With a limited number of police officers, this issue has been a lesser county priority, police officials said.
"We handle this on a very limited basis because we are so involved in other things," Horry County Police Chief Johnny Morgan said.
County Council members will discuss funding the proposal at their budget retreat at the end of February.
County officials and council members say another plan that would add more officers in the county is more of a priority and possibly could incorporate the team.
Morgan proposed a three-
precinct plan that would add more officers and redefine patrol areas in the county to cut response time and better serve the community.
Gilland said which plan gets support or money depends on whether the county wants to put "a dent in the sex-oriented business versus fighting other crimes that affect more people.
"For me, it's getting more police coverage to our citizens and protecting them because every citizen expects the police to stand between them and the criminal," she said. "With the sex business, people walk into that on their own choice.
"The plan is a better investment."
County Councilman Mark Lazarus, who was at the meeting, said a lot of the issues with the sex-oriented industry could be handled through the precinct plan and internally with more officers.
"We just need to put police officers on the streets for more daily crimes," he said. "By doing that, it will help people more so than coming up with a special team to do that."
The three-precinct plan has been estimated to cost at least $2.5 million.
The price tag for a group devoted to handling crimes related to adult-entertainment establishments could cost as much as $800,000.
That would include a sergeant, an administrative assistant and six detectives who would clamp down not only on sexually-oriented businesses but street prostitution and escort services.
A less costly option, estimated at $600,000, includes a sergeant, an administrative assistant and four detectives who would focus only on sexually-oriented businesses.
County Councilman Harold Worley, who was not at Monday's meeting, agreed the county needs more police officers but said he doesn't think those currently working on crime prevention and keeping drugs out of the area should be taken from those tasks to chase tourists and others in adult-entertainment establishments.
"I'm not saying there's not a need to do more policing with the strip joints, but with the limited funds we have, I would like to see those officers on the street," he said.
Police cracking down on stip clubs.
Not sure why my last post didn't make it but a big heads up, in the Sun News today there is an article about the police stepping up the crackdown on adult entertainment venues.
If you remember last summer when they reported they were cracking down on street prostitution, shortly thereafter a big vice sting was set up.
Be extremely cautious in the next few months IMO!!
More police crackdowns coming?
I had posted about the article yesterday looking to step up "monitoring" adult entertainment venues, well it appears they are going to be hitting the streets again hard.
Maybe it's time to lay low for a couple of months guys, blue balls and all!!
In todays paper:
MB City Council discusses downtown residents' safety
By Emma Ritch
The Sun News
'We're tired of the prostitutes; we're tired of the drug dealers.'
Pat Lovejoy | Cedar Street resident
Cedar Street residents complained Tuesday to Myrtle Beach City Council, saying the city is ineffective at stopping the drug dealers and prostitutes who are growing more prevalent in their downtown neighborhood.
For half an hour of the council's meeting, three residents recounted slashed tires, smashed windows and intimidation by local drug dealers who walk around with pit bulls. Some City Council members say an increased police presence could be on their minds Thursday, when they have their first meeting to outline the budget.
"We're tired of the prostitutes; we're tired of the drug dealers," Cedar Street resident Pat Lovejoy said. "We're requesting help to help us take back our streets, our neighborhoods."
Councilman Chuck Martino said after the meeting that Lovejoy made a good point - that City Council needs to prioritize so that it doesn't forget about its basic duties for the residents.
"There are people not able to provide these basic things for themselves [such as safety]," Martino said. "What difference does it make how nice our art museum is if people aren't comfortable, if people aren't safe?"
Mayor Mark McBride said police were not being used for the most important crimes.
"When we have drug dealers walking around neighborhoods with pit bulls, we're taking [police] into pet stores and telling [store owners] they can't sell snakes," McBride said.
In response to their crime problems, Cedar Street residents say they've formed a neighborhood watch.
"Many times, the actual people who live there don't do anything, but here they are stepping forward," Wallace said. He said a city initiative to combat prostitution and drugs is helping these blighted areas but could be aided by additional police officers.
"Law enforcement just needs to about park over there," he said. "People need to see them all the time."
Martino said the council took a step Tuesday that could help it focus its priorities and "take a proactive approach for planning." It was discussion of a new meeting format.
Currently, City Council focuses on projects brought to it and outlines its priorities a few times a year, Martino said.
The intention to add police officers can get lost in the budget process as the meetings currently stand, Martino said.
The new format adds one daylong session a month reserved for planning. The current format of four meeting days - two workshops and two meetings - will be combined to two days with a workshop at 10 a.m. followed immediately by a meeting.
Some City Council members say residents will benefit because the entire decision-making process would be broadcast on television.
Currently, only the meeting is broadcast, which Councilwoman Judy Rodman has said distances residents because most discussion happens in the workshop.
Also, workshop presentations would not be duplicated at meetings, saving time, Martino said.
The format passed as a motion 3-2 but will require two readings as an ordinance to change the current meetings law, city spokesman Mark Kruea said.
Councilman Randal Wallace said after the meeting that he voted against the proposal because he wanted the input of council members Mike Chestnut and Susan Grissom Means, who left during the discussion and before the vote.
Mayor Mark McBride voted against the proposal because he said the meeting time would vary each session.
After an early morning workshop, City Council could not come to a conclusion about public improvements from a development on 30th Avenue North and delayed the vote two weeks.
City Council began the first meeting of the year with infighting about the agenda and procedures.
McBride accused Means of not respecting two minutes of silence for disaster victims and cut off Martino because he said Martino spoke without asking to be recognized.
McBride called the council's vote to remove personnel issues from the agenda, a potentially illegal discussion, was giving "free reign to the dictatorship that exists in the city."
Wallace said, "It's going to be a long year if we're going to get stymied down at the start of it."