With the creation of its new Public Safety Department, the Town of Hilton Head Island has an experienced team in place to carry out its adopted codes that cover everything from property and pathway safety to dune protection along its 12 miles of beaches.
Recently, the Town hired a Director of Public Safety and expanded its community code enforcement program team from two officers to four. "Our goal is to develop a public safety program that helps us sustain our environment, protects the Island and its assets, connects us to residents and visitors through education, and enhances other law enforcement services," said Town Manager Marc Orlando.
One of the first steps was putting together a well-trained team. In August, the Town brought on Bob Bromage, a longtime Island resident and veteran law enforcement officer, as its Director of Public Safety. He is leading development and implementation of its public safety initiatives, including building a stellar community code enforcement program.
His 31 years of experience includes employment with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, where he ranked as a Major and served as the public information officer and lead cold case investigator. Bromage earned associate’s, bachelor's, and master's degrees in criminal justice, respectively from Armstrong State College, Park University and Anderson University. He is a graduate of the SC Criminal Justice Academy and the FBI National Academy.
Bromage supervises the Town's community code enforcement officers, including two longtime officers and two newly hired officers. The Town plans to hire additional officers next year.
The officers are responsible for enforcing the Town's municipal codes and Land Management Ordinance enacted to protect the environment, public safety, health and sanitation, and overall quality of life. This includes patrolling the beaches and parks to enforce ordinances related to alcohol consumption and other prohibited activities and monitoring the community to ensure compliance with general regulations. Code enforcement officers will also support implementation of some of the Town's strategic action initiatives such as a parking master plan, expanded beach services, e-bike regulations, and the short-term rental ordinance that becomes effective January 1, 2023.
Because of their daily interaction with the public, the community code enforcement officers also act as Town ambassadors who can quickly respond to the needs of visitors and residents. "Our role is as much about educating the public and upholding community standards as it is about making sure residents and businesses comply with codes that help us to have a safe, environmentally friendly community," Bromage said.
The current community code enforcement team includes:
Wendy A. Conant. Wendy joined the Town in 2017. She has extensive law enforcement and paralegal experience. As a former investigator with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Wendy is trained to respond to and resolve a variety of issues. Although Wendy has a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance, she has found true passion in serving the community through public safety. She built her legal background with training in criminal investigations, fraud detection, crisis intervention, interviewing techniques, Town codes and other related skills.
Todd D. McNeill. Todd came to the Town in 2019 with a background in private security. He has experience as a patrol and wildlife officer with Sea Pines Security and as a firearms instructor and range safety officer with Palmetto Indoor Range. As a certified security professional, he is trained in interview techniques, CPR/AED, criminal patrol drug enforcement and other related skills.
Mack Brown Jr. Mack joined the Town's community code enforcement team in September following a brief stint as one of its contracted security officers. He was stationed at Town Hall where he greeted visitors, monitored the building and grounds, and provided security at Town meetings. Previously he was a lieutenant with the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) in Ridgeland, SC, where he trained and supervised correctional officers. He is a graduate of SCDC's Training Academy. By working in the corrections field, Mack felt he could make a difference in the lives of those with troubled backgrounds.
Morgan Thompson. Morgan is the newest member of the Town's community code enforcement team. She began working in the public safety profession soon after receiving her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kennesaw State University. Prior to joining the Town in October, Morgan was a security patrol officer with Shipyard Security. That position, as well being a volunteer for the Sea Turtle Patrol Program, equipped her with the knowledge and skills needed to handle code enforcement responsibilities.
To learn more about the Town of Hilton Head Island's community code enforcement program, visit hiltonheadislandsc.gov. The Town's community code enforcement team may be reached via email at codeenforcement@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.
Original source can be found here.
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