Since the floods, Horry County Police have accrued large amounts of overtime hours due to working double shifts.
Police have worked 12 hour shifts every day since the flooding started.
Half the department is on regular patrols and the other half are manning 14 checkpoints throughout the county where flooding has affected homes.
“I wouldn’t sleep at night if I had to worry about my car, or somebody taking our canoe; our only way back and forth,” said Donna Nelson.
Luckily she and other residents have someone keeping an eye on their cars and boats while they are away at work or sleeping at home.
‘We’re around the clock,” said Sergeant Joe Vanvoorhis with the Horry County Police Department.
Twenty Four hours a day, the National Guard and Horry County Police are manning the streets for the people who live in flooded areas.
“We’re trying to prove that everyone that does come here belongs here,” said Sgt. Vanvoorhis.
Officers posted at flood zones say they do not even need to check IDs anymore because they know the people that live on the street.
As far as the double shifts, there is no end in sight for law enforcement.
“Obviously we’ve been limited on resources as far as manpower goes,” said Lieutenant Raul Denis with the Horry County Police Department.
And that means overtime.
But the county is not paying out of pocket.
Lt. Denis says FEMA will reimburse the county for flood related overtime.
But a week straight of 12 hour shifts can be costly in other ways.
“It is concerning. We know it’s hard for them to work this long so we try to take care of their needs. We try to give them time off. We try to give them breaks during the day but we know it’s difficult for them,” said Lt. Denis.
Officers say the community is coming together and offering support.
People have donated food and water to the officers who work the flooded areas.
Sgt. Vanvoorhis says the extra hours are just a part of the job.
“You know the shifts are 12 hours and you know sometimes you might not be able to go home on time,” he said.
Lt. Denis says they will not know how many hours of overtime there are due to flooding until it is over.
He says it is possible officers could work these locked 12 hour shifts a couple more weeks.
