North Myrtle Beach is rated as the safest city on the Grand Strand. It also rates among the safest cities in S.C.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced they will award the North Myrtle Beach Police Department $750,000.
The funding will be used to hire six new officers which will make a total of 86 officers in North Myrtle Beach. Chief Tommy Dennis said Monday, this is the first time in about five years the department has hired officers.
As the city continues to grow, Dennis says the department needs all the help it can get. “It’s only going to continue to get bigger with more developments coming and we’re trying to keep up with to make sure that have enough officers to keep everyone safe,” he said.
“Something we haven’t done in a long time and that’s to increase our number of detectives in the detective division and then, of course, increase the backbone of our department which is our uniform patrol,” he said.
Nick Fusee, resident and business owner from Baltimore, Maryland, said opening his taproom in North Myrtle Beach was the safest option.
“We have certainly seen news of increased crime in the [City of] Myrtle [Beach] area. And we were looking around up here and we loved the North Myrtle Beach – the main street area. So it was perfect for us,” Fusee said.
In contrast, the City of Myrtle Beach ranks among the most dangerous cities in America.
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune has taken an approach that has upset many in the Myrtle Beach Police Department, as well as, the city staff entirely.
Bethune chose the odd path of denying long promised health benefits to retired and soon to retire city employees.