S.C. troopers stay despite misbehavior

COLUMBIA --- Eighty state troopers who have been disciplined at least twice since 2003 have kept their jobs despite questionable behavior that includes giving false information about an accident and speaking to jurors during a trial, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The State of Columbia found that suspensions were rare, being applied to only 16 of the 207 cases.

Troopers in more than half of the cases received counseling for violations, including at-fault car wrecks with patrol cars.

Mark Keel, the incoming director of the Department of Public Safety, told The State he was troubled by the findings.

"Why did someone have incident after incident, and they were not suspended? I don't know," he said. "When I see a police officer with six or seven disciplinary actions, it requires you to look deeper at those folks than someone who has just one."

Mr. Keel said he likely can't give stiffer penalties for past infractions, but he said the attorney and former chief of staff at the State Law Enforcement Division said at his swearing-in ceremony last week that his immediate priority would be to review the department's policy on discipline.

Former department director James Schweitzer resigned after videos surfaced showing a trooper using a racial slur while chasing a black suspect and other questionable conduct.

Mr. Schweitzer told The State he had worked for a "fair and effective" disciplinary process but declined to discuss specific cases.

"All disciplinary actions taken or not taken received serious deliberation and were carried out in the hopes that those actions would deter future transgressions," he said in a prepared statement.