Three weeks into curfew, Cayce DPS officers say there haven’t been too many violations

The Cayce curfew does not allow most people to be out and about between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

CAYCE, S.C. (WOLO) —For the last few weeks, officers across the state have been enforcing social distancing guidelines and doing what they can to prevent a spread of coronavirus.

Some communities, like the City of Cayce, have instituted a curfew to make sure people don’t stay out between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

When coming to a crime scene in the midst of a pandemic, Deputy Chief JJ Jones with the Cayce Department of Public Safety says his officers have been more careful of how close they come to others.

“The single biggest hurdle we’ve had to jump through is making sure our officers maintain that six to eight foot distance, that gap, just like everyone else has been doing to keep ourselves safe and keep ourselves healthy,” Deputy Chief Jones said.

To limit any potential spread of the coronavirus, the Cayce City Council passed a citywide curfew on April 7, which means most people can’t be out and about in the city limits between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The ordinance does not apply to people who are out doing their jobs in the early morning hours.

“A lot of folks we know well enough to recognize them, so we have no desire to stop those people doing the right thing,” Deputy Chief Jones said.

In the three weeks since the curfew was enforced, Deputy Chief Jones says his team has not come across many people violating the order.

“What it did give us is the opportunity that if we saw something that didn’t look quite right, it gave us the automatic reason to go out and find out what was going on,” Deputy Chief Jones said.

Meanwhile across the county, deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department have not had too many encounters with people coming together in large groups.

“What we’ve found for the most part is that people have been self-policing, and they have been watching the briefings at the state, federal, and local levels, and they have determined that this is best not only for me, but for my family, my friends, and for all of us here in Lexington County,” said Capt. Adam Myrick with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

Even with a stronger emphasis on safety, officers and deputies say they have been responding to emergencies like they did before the pandemic, and will continue to do so. 

“When we’re not at work we can’t serve the citizens, so we’ve got to keep all our girls and guys safe and healthy,” said Deputy Chief Jones.

In a statement about when curfew could be lifted, Ashley Hunter with the City of Cayce said:

“The curfew in Cayce will remain in place until the Cayce City Council votes to amend it or it expires. The Ordinance will automatically expire on the 61st day after enactment. We will monitor all statewide reopening efforts and continue to prioritize the safety of our residents and businesses.”

The Cities of Columbia and Sumter have also issued their own curfews.