By PETER O’BOYLE III
State Staff Writer

ELGIN

This Kershaw County town will soon be without a police force after the Kershaw Town Council this week voted to let go the only policeman and the elementary school crossing guard.

Drastic cutbacks in services were decided on to keep the town from going bankrupt, according to supporters of the council action.

The council also voted to end garbage collection, leaving fire protection as virtually the only service provided to the incorporated town’s 650 residents.

Critics of the service cutbacks, particularly of Police Chief Luther G. “Jerry” Dyson’s dismissal, claim the action were too drastic and unnecessary.

About a dozen supporters of Dyson picketed in front of the Elgin Town Hall Wednesday. Amd the magistrate serving the Elgin area, Phillip Pia, resigned in protest.

“If we’re going to pay taxes, we deserve police protection,” said one of the picketers, George Miller, who brought along his Irish setter, complete with placards, to walk with him in the protect line.

“Coumcil had no right to do tis without checking with the citizens,” he said.

Town council Tuesday asked Elgin Mayor Francis E. “Pete” James to fire Dyson. James refused so council voted 2-1 to cut off funding to the one-man police department.

James, as mayor, only votes in case of a tie.

Wednesday afternoon, James was painting a wooden fence in is front yard while the council members met at the office of the town attorney, John Wells, in a meeting descried by Wells, in a meeting described by Wells as a legal conference.

Council members, including the two who voted to cut off funds to the police department, Loretta V. Carr and Roger Ross, refused

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Elgin

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comment on their actions of Tuesday.

James at first declined to talk to reporters. “I’m just not talking anymore. I’m painting my fence.”

He relented through and held an impromptu press conference while he continued painted.

“The town is not out of money. I think it has about $4,500 or $4,700,” said James. “We could get through” June 30, the end of the fiscal year, without eliminating police service, he said.

James said of council’s action in cutting off funds, “I’ve lived here long enough to not be surprised by anything.”

His house is across the street from Blaney Elementary School, which is losing its crossing guard. “People may not be so inclined to drive as slow as in the past” without any nearby law enforcement, said James.

He was elected mayor in February, beating out Mrs. Carr, who retained her seat on council. A special election will be held May 3 to fill the vacant council seat of James, who had been a council member.

Some of the towns people indicated that the real reason for the firing was a personality conflict between council member Mrs. Carr and Chief Dyson. Neither would comment on that report.

Dyson, who talked to reporters while standing in front of the Town Hall, said he was “somewhat over-whelmed by this demonstration.”

Dyson, 47, has been police chief for 17 months, and has been in law enforcement since 1962. Last week, his wife learned that she would be losing her job after the firm she works for moves its office to Charlotte.

Dyson was given four weeks severance pay and told he could quit immediately. But he said he will perform his duties anyway unless he finds another job right away.

“Certainly I’m not going to leave the people here without a police officer any longer than I have to,” said Dyson.

During his tenure as police chief, Dyson said there had been a murder, armed robbery, grand larceny and assorted other crimes committed.

“Elgin is just like a big town – we get the same crimes, just fewer of them,” he said.

Dyson said he thought the Town Council could have raised property taxes or the business license tax. He said the residential property tax is only 14 mills, compared to 80 mills for another Kershaw County town, Bethune, which is close to Elgin’s size.

Elgin collected $6,700 in property taxes and $2,200 in business license fees this years and received another $8,000 in utility taxes and some revenue from the state, he said.

After Dyson quits, the town’s police service will be provided by the Kershaw County Sheriff’s department.

Leona Pia, wife of the magistrate who resigned, complained, ” What are we getting for our taxes? Nothing,” as she walked the picket line in front of the Town Hall.

“Criminals can take the whole IGA (grocery store) before the Sheriff’s Department gets here,” she added.