Organizers of Columbia’s Katrina relief efforts said they are not
having problems with violent criminals or sex offenders despite
relocating almost 1,700 people to the Midlands in the past three
weeks.
A combination of planning and background checks has worked to
protect evacuees, volunteers and the community, relief organizers
and law enforcement officials said.
So far, police in Columbia and in Lexington and Richland counties
have arrested three Gulf Coast evacuees — one on a domestic violence
charge and two on charges of drug possession — according to Harold
Reaves, Columbia’s deputy director of homeland security, who is
helping coordinate relief efforts.
“The behavior of the folks who have come here has been
exemplary,” said Sam Tenenbaum, who is directing SC Cares’ local
efforts.
The group has been following law enforcement advice since the
first evacuees began arriving.
“Whatever procedures they wanted, we instituted,” Tenenbaum said.
“The public is well-protected.”
Tenenbaum would not discuss specifics about what SC Cares was
doing, but he and Reaves noted the benefits of two policies:
1. Housing guests in hotel rooms: A private room reduces crimes
of opportunity, such as larceny, and prevents emotional outbursts
because of close quarters.
2. The shepherd system: Volunteers are stationed at hotels where
evacuees are staying, and at the SC Cares welcome station. They
provide advice and keep an eye out for those looking to take
advantage of the situation.
The federal government also has made nationwide criminal
background checks available to local law enforcement.
Background checks elsewhere have turned up violent criminals and
sex offenders. The State Law Enforcement Division checked the
backgrounds of only the 547 people flown to South Carolina. Of
those, 301 had a criminal history, said Chief Robert Stewart.
But, Stewart noted, most were minor offenses or occurred in past
decades. The checks also turned up rape and aggravated assault
convictions, and two out-of-state burglary warrants.
Kevin Graywith the American Civil Liberties Union of South
Carolina questioned how the background-check information would be
used, and whether blacks were screened as often as whites. The
information, he said, could be used to discriminate or to deny
help.
“There isn’t but so much money,” Gray said. “What does (the
Federal Emergency Management Agency) give them? What are the
qualifications for FEMA aid?
“Does a criminal background disqualify you for FEMA
assistance?”
While it was critical to screen evacuees, Tenenbaum said it was
also important to protect them from Midlands predators.
At one hotel, someone offered to help an evacuee return to
Louisiana for $1,400. Another person, posing as an evacuee, was
charged with using a dead person’s Social Security number.
Some agencies hope educating residents will help head off
problems.
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is providing hotel rooms
for some evacuees and hired security, said spokeswoman Donna Thorne.
New Orleans allows open alcoholic containers on its streets, and
BlueCross has held community meetings to explain other differences
in local laws.
“Unless you tell people ... how are they going to know?” Thorne
said.
Reach O’Connor at (803) 771-8435 or johnoconnor@thestate.com.
