CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — The Chester County Sheriff's Office is opening a substation in the town of Richburg, about 10 miles from where the sheriff's office is located.
Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey said it's to help with an increase in activity the area is seeing because of its close proximity to Charlotte and I-77.
“As this end of the county grows in population and in businesses, we want to respond to the needs of the community and be more present here," Dorsey said.
The project to bring the substation to Richburg was something Dorsey has been wanting for a while.
For years, the population in Richburg was declining. However, with a project planned that could bring as many as 1,000 residential homes to the area, as well as growth from Charlotte seeping in, that's starting to change.
"It was much needed," Erin Mosley, who lives just a few minutes from the substation, said. "There's been a lot of activity [in Chester County]."
According to The Chester County Sheriff’s Office, incident rates in Richburg grew by 21% in one year.
From November of 2019 to November of 2020, the sheriff's office had 460 incidents in the area. However, that number grew to 581 from November 2020 until now, increasing by 121.
"I always feel a lot safer every time there's a police presence," Mosley said.
Sheriff Dorsey says there will be investigators and patrol staff at the substation on Lancaster Highway, but for now, it won’t be open 24/7.
“It’s our effort to push our resources out into the community," Dorsey said. "Everyone doesn’t need to be in Chester at our office – that’s the safest place in Chester County.”
The sheriff’s office will host a grand opening of the substation this Thursday afternoon, and it’s inviting the community to attend.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.