Orangeburg officer fired during SLED investigation

A captain with the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office was fired Monday in the midst of an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

The sheriff’s office confirmed Capt. Lacra Jenkins had been fired, but said it would be inappropriate to comment on specifics while SLED is investigating.

“As soon as the allegations were bought to my attention, we initiated a brief in-house investigation, then requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to conduct an outside, independent investigation,” Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. “In order that we don’t hinder the outside investigation, any further statement must come from SLED.”

SLED spokesman Thom Berry confirmed the agency is investigating an employee of the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, but said he could not name the person while the investigation is ongoing. SLED received the request to investigate within the last couple of weeks, Berry added.