Column: Removing Sumter sheriff's review of business license applicants would make people more vulnerable

Should Sumter County's most vulnerable citizens be protected from potentially unscrupulous business owners? If County Councilman Carlton Washington's proposed rule change is approved, that could be the case. At the Jan. 23, 2024, Sumter County Council meeting, he announced his desire to amend the Sumter County Business License Ordinance to eliminate a background screening of recent felons who apply for a business license. This is a bad idea.

The current Sumter County ordinance provides that business license applicants convicted of certain crimes within the past 10 years be screened by the Sumter County sheriff. The sheriff then makes a recommendation of whether the application should be approved or denied. This is a small, but important tool for the sheriff's mission to "protect and defend" the citizens of Sumter County.

Should someone convicted of animal cruelty qualify to operate a dog grooming salon or animal kennel?

Should someone convicted of elder abuse qualify for an adult daycare center?

Should someone convicted of counterfeiting checks qualify for a check-cashing business?

Should someone convicted of forging signatures qualify for a tax preparation business?

Should someone convicted of pedophilia qualify for a photography studio?

According to a Department of Justice Bulletin titled Criminal Victimization 2021, the national rate of violent victimization for persons living in households earning less than $25,000 annually (the poorest demographic delineation in the study) was higher than the rate for all other household income groups at 29.6 per 1,000. Those individuals also experienced the highest rate of violent crime excluding simple assault at 11.7 per 1,000. While not all felony convictions are for violent crimes, the analysis is clear that our poorest fellow citizens are also those most vulnerable to crime. Removing the sheriff's review would increase their vulnerability in Sumter County.

I cannot fathom why Councilman Washington wants to remove these protections for Sumter County residents.

An additional concern is the area surrounding Shaw AFB. I'm particularly sensitive to Shaw since that is what originally brought our family to the town we fell in love with. Shaw is an economic juggernaut for Sumter County and the entire state. It is almost entirely bordered by Sumter County, not the Sumter City limits. This includes Highway 378 and Peach Orchard Road that directly border Shaw.

Business licenses in the areas next to Shaw AFB are not subject to the City of Sumter's rules, so rescinding Sumter County's law enforcement review would open the area around the base to unscreened, felon-owned businesses. Ironically, Councilman Washington represents District 1, which includes those areas. I'm old enough to remember the days when military bases were surrounded by sketchy businesses, and I don't want a return to that. I would hope that he would be more protective of the multi-billion-dollar asset in his district.

As a society, we can certainly do a better job of reintegrating people into society following an incarceration. But a felony conviction warrants increased scrutiny, at least for a few years. Removing this small measure of protection for potential future victims is not the answer. Please contact county council and ask them to stop this initiative right now.

Neil Neaderhiser is retired from the U.S. Air Force and has resided in Sumter for over 16 years.