Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Simpsonville Police Department is a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the City of Simpsonville in Greenville County, South Carolina.
The Simpsonville Police Department has been in the news recently. First, Simpsonville City Countil voted against funding its attempt to become nationally certified. Second, its Chief of Police, Keith P. Grounsell, has been suspended without pay by a city administrator.
My questions:
How well does the Simpsonville Police Department operate?
Does national certification improve the department?
It seems the residents there like the improvements in Simpsonville since Grounsell became Chief, but he has had a history. He's been hired, fired, rehired, and suspended, but I'm not sure of the whole background story behind this one. Hopefully someone from Simpsonville can chime in on the inside story. The city Council has been after this guy for a while but the residents there seem to really like him and are picketing city hall to reinstate him.
A couple of years ago, when he was fired, Grounsell said it was because he was not allowed to discipline Asst Police Chief Coleen O'Neil for an "inappropriate relationship" between O'Neil and Simpsonville Fire Chief Wesley Williams that violated policy. It was also about the time several new council members were elected. He was reinstated on just a 4-3 vote back then. The mayor doesn't like him, and he doesn't think the city can afford a chief and assistant chief.
If I recall, then-mayor Perry Eichor, previously director of the Greenville County Detention Center, was suspended from office and later convicted of obstruction and misconduct in office.
It seems the residents there like the improvements in Simpsonville since Grounsell became Chief, but he has had a history. He's been hired, fired, rehired, and suspended, but I'm not sure of the whole background story behind this one. Hopefully someone from Simpsonville can chime in on the inside story. The city Council has been after this guy for a while but the residents there seem to really like him and are picketing city hall to reinstate him.
A couple of years ago, when he was fired, Grounsell said it was because he was not allowed to discipline Asst Police Chief Coleen O'Neil for an "inappropriate relationship" between O'Neil and Simpsonville Fire Chief Wesley Williams that violated policy. It was also about the time several new council members were elected. He was reinstated on just a 4-3 vote back then. The mayor doesn't like him, and he doesn't think the city can afford a chief and assistant chief.
I don't think the city could have afforded the wrongful termination that he seemed destined to win over that whole fiasco, either.
I don't know all the details.. But, it makes Laurens, where the Sheriff just has affairs with underlings seem normal by comparison.
I don't know all the details.. But, it makes Laurens, where the Sheriff just has affairs with underlings seem normal by comparison.
Laurens County Sheriff Ricky Chastain has issues that makes him incompetent to remain in office. I hope the constituents of Laurens County elect a sheriff who fights crime, not one who is pro-crime. I would save that discussion for another thread.
After hearing some of the comments made by council members, he still has a job. There is more going on behind the scene that the public is being made aware of, and will be made aware of. Someone doesn't like his style, and is doing everything to get him out. Me personally, I don't care, but if I had to take out a lawsuit to keep my job, Id look elsewhere.
I live in simpsonville. basically the chief was accused of sending an inappropriate e-mail...which was already investigated and the officer was cleared. He has now been suspended without pay for 30 days and the mayor's husband was on the counsel when he was fired last time. Seems there is some "dirty" politics going on if you know what I mean........
I live in simpsonville. basically the chief was accused of sending an inappropriate e-mail...which was already investigated and the officer was cleared. He has now been suspended without pay for 30 days and the mayor's husband was on the counsel when he was fired last time. Seems there is some "dirty" politics going on if you know what I mean........
The "dirty politics" is most certainly in play in Simpsonville. But the voters in Simpsonville knew the history of the Mayor and her husband and still voted her in. The city gets to keep Mayor Curtis until 12/2019.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.