COLOMBIA, SC (WIS) – Police and other public officials want to assure South Carolina residents that there are security measures in place before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on January 20.
The FBI has warned of the potential for armed protests in all 50 state houses, as well as on the US Capitol. State officials say the South Carolina State House and the surrounding area are safe.
“We have no specific threats to the state of South Carolina in the capital here in Columbia. All we received was a general threat from the FBI and our intelligence officers, but that’s all we have and that’s all we planned, ”said Chief Matthew Calhoun, head of the South Carolina Department of Public Security, the agency that oversees the fundamentals of State House.
Calhoun said measures to increase security on State House’s premises, create a barrier around the building and coordinate with all relevant agencies are just precautions.
Before January 20, there are only two protests planned that public security agencies are aware of: one on Sunday and Wednesday, the day of the inauguration.
“We are confident with our state, municipal and local partnerships, we think we have enough local police to keep everything safe and protected and to be able to respond to any incident we may have,” added Calhoun.
To this end, the South Carolina State House will be closed to the public from January 16 to 20.
In a memo to state senators, Senate President Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee) told members to get ready to work from home next week.
“This decision was based on the advice of federal and state police authorities,” he wrote to all senators.
A few blocks from the State House, University of South Carolina officials said they are also in close coordination with the authorities.
“While there are currently no threat law enforcement reports or intelligence to our state capital or campus, our Law Enforcement and Security Division is coordinating closely with state, local and federal agencies to ensure that our campus remains secure. . We will share any additional information if specific threats of danger or violence affecting our campus arise. In the meantime, we encourage our students, teachers and staff to sign up for Carolina Alerts to receive important safety messages on an ongoing basis, ”said UofSC spokesman Jeffrey Stensland.
In a joint statement, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Department of Public Security, the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department wanted to reassure the public that everyone is monitoring any potential threats.
“All preparations are being made to ensure the safety of our citizens,” said Mayor of Columbia, Steve Benjamin.
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