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South Carolina Highway Patrol

South Carolina Highway Patrol Motor Unit

The South Carolina Highway Patrol was created in 1930.  Motorcycles were chosen instead of cars to patrol the roadways because motorcycles were less expensive to operate.  Originally, half of the Patrol's motorcycles were Harley-Davidson and the other half were Indian motorcycles.  The Highway Patrol later switched solely to Harley-Davidson motorcycles.  Troopers continued to drive motorcycles until 1937.
     It was not until 57 years later in 1994 that the Highway Patrol re-established the motorcycle program with only two troopers.  The motorcycle unit was put under the ACE (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team).  Soon after, four more troopers were added to the program.  The motorcycle program used Harley-Davidson and Kawasaki motorcycles in 1994, and then became first law enforcement agency in the nation to use BMW 1100cc motorcycles.  Today, the Motorcycle Unit is comprised of 25 troopers, assigned to five Regions throughout South Carolina.  The troopers drive Honda ST-1300 motorcycles.  The mission of the motorcycle Unit is to respond to areas of the state to conduct enforcement assignments that include aggressive driving, road rage and selective enforcement, based on prior crash data.
The five Regions of the ACE Team Motorcycle Unit are:
  • Region 1 - Columbia and surrounding counties
  • Region 2 - Greenville and surrounding counties
  • Region 3 - York and surrounding counties
  • Region 4 - Myrtle Beach and surrounding counties
  • Region 5 - Charleston and surrounding counties  

  

South Carolina Highway Patrol
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1930

South Carolina Highway Patrol
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1931

South Carolina Highway Patrol
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1935

1937 H-D Model ULH
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South Carolina Highway Patrol

South Carolina Highway Patrol
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1999

South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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South Carolina Highway Patrol
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Photos and Information provided by the Community Relations Office of the South Carolina Highway Patrol