Body cameras coming for Claflin officers

Chief Melvin Williams talks to student reporters on Feb. 23.

By TYUANNA WILLIAMS

Members of the Claflin University Department of Public Safety will soon be equipped with body cameras, DPS director Melvin Williams told student journalists during a Feb. 23 conference.

The body cameras are expected to be distributed within the next 30 days, after proper training, Williams said.

“We want to be able to refer back to it [the cameras] if we need to,” Williams said. “I’m so excited about things like body cameras. They don’t lie, they tell the truth.”

Officers will be required to activate cameras when they take official action or have official contact with anyone, Williams said.

Officers caught not using the cameras will be handled by the “Teach, Counsel, Discipline” rule, Williams said.

The rule assures that officers will first undergo training, then be retrained on the proper way to use the body cameras, and, if all else fails, the third step is discipline.

“After three times, one should get it,” Williams said.

Williams also addressed the department’s staffing levels.

“There’s a shortage of individuals interested in law enforcement in the South Carolina area,” Williams said.

Although Williams’ department is authorized for 14 officers/security guards, only 10 are employed.

“Everyone is vying for the same pool of people,” Williams said.

A walk in his shoes

By LAZARUS MCCRAY

Interim Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Melvin Williams has been the heart and soul of Claflin’s Public Safety since August 2020.

Williams has been in law enforcement for 43 years, spending 22 years in Titusville, Fla. He was also appointed the first police chief at Bethune-Cookman University.

Williams has not been a stranger when it comes to Dr. Dwuan J. Warmack. He has worked with the Claflin president at Bethune-Cookman, Harris Stowe and now at Claflin.

During a news conference with Williams, the elephant in the room was addressed. Parking is a huge concern for Claflin’s student body.

Efforts are still being made to make parking easier, Williams said. "We don't have space for everyone to be on the main campus.”

Claflin is actively looking for properties that can be used to create more parking lots, he said.

To eliminate further issues, students are not allowed to drive on campus from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students may drive into campus after 5:30 and park in spaces that do not have a sign prohibiting them from doing so.

All campus parking requires a decal.

Williams is encouraging the Claflin community to come together in efforts to ensure a safe campus. Whenever something seems off, he is encouraging students and staff to report it with no hesitation. The connection between campus and Public Safety is imperative.

Working at an HBCU gives Williams great joy. He said he feels like he’s working with family.

Williams is also a firm believer in community policing. He has a passion to do what he does, while others just do it for the job.

Dealing with the police

By ANGEL ASEME

Tyre Nichols passed away three days after being assaulted by five Black police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, during a traffic check. The news of his demise shocked the nation.

Panther reporters and Melvin Williams, director of public safety at Claflin University, held a news conference via Zoom on Feb. 23. What happened in Memphis was discussed.

"That never should have happened. Whenever someone breaks the law, we are entitled by law enforcement to use the appropriate amount of force to effect the arrest. We are instructed to apply only the appropriate amount of force.”

He said the instance serves as a perfect illustration of why he is enthusiastic about body cameras, which Claflin officers will be getting.

"Body cameras capture the facts, therefore neither my word nor your word is reliable.”

He expressed hurt for officers all around the country that are suffering or have been affected by the actions of the officers in the Nichols case. As unfortunate as it is, situations like that often cause a riff in the relationship between police officers and the community, Williams said.