Gaffney Police Department, SLED team up on checkpoints

The Gaffney Police Department teamed up with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and state Probation and Parole agents Wednesday night in a new initiative to clamp down on crime.

About 35 members from the three agencies participated in a series of roadway checkpoints that popped up on several streets Wednesday, such as Beech Street, Pecan Street, Union Street, College Avenue and Leadmine Street.

Officially designated as an operation of the Community Action Team, Gaffney Police Chief John O'Donald said the multi-agency effort was initiated by SLED's Director Reginald Lloyd and Wednesday night's operations represented just a beginning.

"We plan on doing quite a few more at various times," O'Donald said.

The chief believed SLED plans to take such Community Action Team operations statewide.

Police and parole officials weren't looking for anything specific, though Gaffney Police and parole and probation officials were prepared with full lists of all the people for which they had active arrest warrants.

Two people were arrested Wednesday evening at the checkpoints for driving with suspended driver's licenses, including a 45-year-old Rutledge Street man and a 26-yearold North Logan Street woman.

(Tim Gulla)