Chief’s Corner is a new biweekly series featuring conversations with Manning Police Chief Sean Briley. Each installment will provide residents with updates on criminal investigations, department operations, emerging crime trends and public safety issues affecting the Manning community.
The Manning Police Department is reporting fewer calls for service and a decline in violent crime compared to last year, while continuing to focus on drug enforcement, gang activity and improvements to department resources.
During the first installment of Chief’s Corner, Police Chief Sean Briley discussed recent crime trends, ongoing investigations, staffing needs and initiatives aimed at improving public safety.
“Our call volume is about 1,000 calls below last year right now, and our violent crimes are way below last year,” Briley said.
Briley said he would provide year-over-year statistics to support those figures. The Manning Times will report the additional data once it becomes available.
Although officers continue to respond to calls daily, Briley said the department has experienced relatively few major incidents in recent weeks. He also reported that arrests have been made in all of the department’s major cases, with officers continuing to follow up with victims and monitor cases as they move through the court system.
Drug activity and gangs remain two of MPD’s primary enforcement priorities, even as the department has seen a decrease in gang-related activity.
“We're always focusing on gangs and drugs,” Briley said.
According to Briley, narcotics investigators have been conducting undercover drug purchases, with numerous arrests expected in the coming weeks. He said some cases could result in federal charges.
The chief identified drug and gang activity as contributing factors in other crimes, including break-ins and assaults, making continued enforcement a priority.
While addressing crime remains a central focus, Briley said the department is also working to strengthen its staffing and resources.
MPD currently has three vacancies, including two police officer positions and one code enforcement position. Briley said the department has been interviewing candidates and expects to make hires in the coming weeks.
The department has also continued officer training, including recent less-lethal training for new hires, while securing grants to improve equipment and officer capabilities.
A $16,500 grant from Duke Energy funded the purchase of a thermal imaging drone, along with barricades and traffic cones to improve traffic safety. Two additional grants totaling approximately $62,000 to $63,000 will allow the department to install updated in-car camera systems throughout its fleet and upgrade officers’ body cameras.
Briley said the improvements will help modernize the department’s technology and provide updated recording systems for officers.
MPD is also expanding its investigative capabilities through a new partnership with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the State Law Enforcement Division involving internet crimes.
Briley said the department recently joined the initiative and is working through the process of training officers. Within its first week of participation, MPD assisted in an investigation that resulted in an arrest involving child sexual abuse material.
The partnership will provide another avenue for the department to assist in investigations involving online criminal activity.
With Halloween approaching, Briley said officers are preparing for increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic throughout Manning. Trick-or-treating hours in the city will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, with MPD planning a visible presence downtown and in residential neighborhoods.
Additional officers will be assigned to areas that typically experience heavy Halloween traffic, with the department emphasizing the safety of children, families and motorists.
Beyond law enforcement, Briley highlighted the department’s food pantry, which has already assisted several residents facing immediate food needs.
Located in the rear parking lot of the police department, the pantry is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing residents to receive assistance without waiting for a designated distribution day.
“If you need food today, we give you food today,” Briley said.
Residents can contact police dispatch to request assistance, and an officer can meet them at the department or arrange to deliver food if they cannot travel.
The department continues to accept donations of canned goods and other nonperishable food items. Refrigerated and frozen foods cannot be accepted because the pantry does not have cold storage.
Looking ahead, Briley said his priorities remain keeping calls for service and violent crime low while continuing enforcement efforts targeting drugs and gangs, which he said contribute to many of the other crimes officers investigate.
