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Stories Archive

From Trooper to Highway Safety Director: A rewarding career at DPS all began as a chance encounter at a drugstore

Why would someone return to the same high-pressure job after retiring? For Phil Riley, it was his passion for highway safety and contributing to…

National Hispanic Heritage Month: BPS officer feels 'at home again' after moving from Puerto Rico

Officer Guillermo Santiago knows his English isn’t perfect. He’s learned much of it since moving to South Carolina from Puerto Rico in 2017. But,…

National Police Woman Day: How this former nurse and corrections officer found her purpose as an STP officer

One thing Officer First Class Latonya Loredo hears frequently from the truck drivers she pulls over: “You’re the first female officer I’ve ever…

SCHP’s Cynthia Cuttino learned to ‘slow down’ and enjoy work at Troop 4 HQ

Cynthia Cuttino was used to life in the fast lane. But after years of working in the private sector, for Cuttino, working in the District 4…

How tragedy helped SCDPS investigator kick-start his fitness transformation and inspire others

Lieutenant James Reap swore he was done with running after completing patrol school to become a South Carolina state trooper in 2011. “If you see…

Whether spreading the Gospel or traffic safety, SC trooper driven by a desire to serve others

Lance Corporal Jesse Timmons has never sought recognition for a job well done. Whether ministering to his congregation, assisting motorists as a…

Retiring STP colonel looks back on 30 years — and to what lies ahead

As Colonel Dean Dill says goodbye to law enforcement when he retires from the SC State Transport Police at the end of June, he knows it’s the…

STP father-son duo reflect on how their dads shaped their desire to serve

With three generations of law enforcement officers in their family, serving others is not learned for State Transport Police Master Officer Thomas…

BPS unleashes its newest K-9 officer

Unlike most people in the workforce, Master Officer Ivan Birochak’s ride-or-die colleague has four paws and a tail — and prefers to be paid with…

Badge of the third SC trooper to die in the line of duty will be included in SCDPS time capsule

The old brass and copper-plated patrolman’s badge had been in Frances Gipson’s possession since her mother died in 1993. Gipson knew that someday,…