News Search

Security forces re-opens housing substation

  • Published
  • By Tarsha Storey
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  To provide better police response time, promote resident security, reduce thefts, decrease vandalism and diminish vacant house break-ins, the 20th Security Forces Squadron re-opened a substation next to the youth center in the 5000-area of base housing.

Col. Bill Hyatt, 20th Fighter Wing commander, officially re-opened the facility Oct. 31.

The substation closed in 1999 due to the increased security forces deployment tempo and the resulting reduction in manning, said Master Sgt. Greg Bell, 20th SFS 5000-area housing substation NCO in charge. 

The decision to re-open was driven by a trend analysis of the summer's increase in 5000-area incidents, Sergeant Bell said. 

Even though the security forces deployment tempo has not changed, it was decided that the substation was needed to increase the safety of residents and decrease incidents in the 5000 area of base housing, said Maj. Mark Swiatek, 20th SFS commander. 

During the summer, many 5000-area residents said they felt isolated from the rest of the base, Major Swiatek said. 

If a disturbance call was reported in the area, due to the location of the housing area and depending on the location of the responding patrol, it could be up to 20 minutes before a patrol would arrive on the scene, Major Swiatek said. 

"Prior to the (substation) opening, we received phone calls of people jumping the fence, but by the time we arrived, it was too late," Major Swiatek said. "It was frustrating (for the patrols) to be unable to respond fast enough. Now that we're located here, that should not be a problem." 

Security forces members will operate the station 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They will conduct a variety of different police patrols, including walking patrols, Sergeant Bell said. 

Major Swiatek also said they would like residents to stop by and see the facility. The goal is to make the substation a resident-accessible facility and they plan to start a neighborhood watch program, he said. 

The effort to reduce crime in the area started as soon as the facility opened. Forty-five minutes after it opened, Major Swiatek said security forces apprehended three juveniles who had jumped the fence onto base.