Our Mission

It is the mission of the Bureau of Protective Services to ensure the safety and well-being of state employees and over 220,000 annual visitors to the State Capitol Complex. The State House and Complex Detail Divisions monitor buildings, grounds and the parking facilities of the Capitol Complex area 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

BPS is responsible for the safety and security of the Governor’s Mansion in Columbia and for the Governor and the First Family. BPS officers provide 24/7 law enforcement response in and around the 10-acre complex.

The Bureau of Protective Services Judicial Division is charged with the security of the South Carolina Supreme Court, the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, and the South Carolina Court of Appeals.

BPS officers assigned to the State Agency Support Division (SASD) provide and maintain an appropriate level of security for all assigned property, buildings, dignitaries, employees, and the general public.

For Visitors to the State House and Capitol Facilities: Reminder of Prohibited items

As a reminder, there are areas where it remains unlawful to carry a firearm or dangerous weapon on State House grounds. Despite the passage of the South Carolina Constitutional Carry/Second Amendment Preservation Act of 2023, it's important to remember that South Carolina Code Section 10-11-320(A) still applies and prohibits carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon on State House grounds.

As indicated in the map below, the State House grounds include the area in downtown Columbia between Gervais Street, Sumter Street, Pendleton Street, and Assembly Street.

Additionally, visitors to the Governor’s Mansion are also prohibited from carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon onto the grounds.