Public Safety Director Will Not Tolerate Bad Behavior

Associated Press
Published: October 12, 2008

The head of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety says he won’t put up with bad behavior, evidenced by his firing of four troopers and five other employees since June.

The State newspaper of Columbia reported Sunday that Public Safety Director Mark Keel said none of the four trooper firings involved excessive force. It’s a higher firing rate than in the past. Department records show that from Jan. 28, 2003, through Feb. 13 of this year, 12 troopers were fired.
   
In addition to the firings, Keel said he has referred two cases to federal prosecutors since he took over the Highway Patrol in June.
   
Keel said his mandate from Gov. Mark Sanford and the state Senate is to crack down on lax discipline within the Highway Patrol.