Q&A: Author talks about SLED’s history

Mark Huguley, a retired SLED major and former supervisory intelligence analyst, has written an essay on the origins of the State Law Enforcement Division.

Here, a Q&A with Huguley.

What gave you the idea for the essay?

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is an intriguing organization. When I was a field agent, people used to speak of the “SLED mystique” with such curiosity I wanted to document how an institution, older than thought, began. Starting in 1868, the “Constabulary,” as it was called, disappeared when Reconstruction ended but returned to face outright rebellion while enforcing the disagreeable Dispensary System. Several constables died in the line of duty. Prohibition came next, followed by post-World War II and calls for combining the Constabulary and the Highway Patrol. Strom Thurmond recommended a state bureau of investigation, but not until after playing a central role in peacekeeping and becoming essential in investigations was SLED made somewhat independent of the governor.

How much time did you spend researching for the essay? What was the most interesting thing you learned?

I retired from SLED in 2004 and afterward worked for six years as a reports officer and intelligence analyst with the FBI. Work on a history of SLED began in 2010 when I retired altogether. By 2013, I was working in earnest on a manuscript, and the essay is derived from that manuscript. Research revealed surprises. At SLED, we understood Strom Thurmond established SLED by executive order in 1947. It turns out only a concurrent resolution was passed by the General Assembly calling for the transfer of the Highway Patrol’s identification bureau to the Governor’s Office. A concurrent resolution is not law, so the Constabulary continued operating as constables began thinking of themselves as agents of a new organization, SLED.

What are you going to do with the essay, now that it is complete?

In 2018, the institution of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division will be 150 years old. This makes it older than the FBI and something for South Carolinians to be proud of. SLED contributes so much to the state’s criminal justice system the public should have the chance to know more of how it evolved. While the essay is very concise, it provides important historical information. I intend to share the essay with SLED colleagues and with official state repositories. The state Library, the department of Archives and History and the Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame should have this documentation. I will give them a version that includes a bibliography to support future research.

What do you hope people come away with after they read the essay?

In the seminal work, “Southern Politics in State and Nation,” V. O. Key addressed the power of South Carolina governors in the first half of the 20th century to say, “South Carolina's chief executive has limited power. He controls the State Constabulary.” Key goes on to list gubernatorial powers, but none is quite as direct as that over the Constabulary. I hope people see how interdependent the governors and their law enforcement officers have been. Likewise, governors need to understand the importance of and their relationship to SLED for the good of the state. Also, I hope older readers recall and younger readers learn of the important role SLED played during the protest years involving integration, Viet Nam and the labor movement.

Do you have any other essays in the works?

I have other ideas in mind for essays. Some involve law enforcement, some address other interests. I used to volunteer at the Congaree National Park where I met many interesting people. A surprising number of visitors to the park are from foreign countries. I think an essay recording “Congaree conversations” would be interesting. People go to parks to enjoy nature and generally have a relaxing, fun time. This makes for pleasant conversation and provides an opportunity for insight into how people see nature. City kids today often do not know much about the outdoors. It is fun to interpret outdoor sights and sounds for children and adults.

Do you have a most memorable case from your time working at SLED that you can share?

Many experiences from my SLED career are memorable. In most, I felt we made a difference, which is very satisfying. I participated in the investigation of criminal misconduct by a state representative from Spartanburg. The legislator was under surveillance when, one morning, he accepted a bribe and immediately afterward set off for the State House. We kept him under surveillance all the way to the State House, in the State House, and afterward at his motel. The late Chief J.P. Strom met us there and went to his door to place him under arrest. Working in 1980 with Robert Stewart, who later became chief, we successfully investigated an election fraud in Dillon County that influenced federal cases across the nation.

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 8:51 PM.