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February 2017
Looking Back , Forging Ahead ( Continued From Previous Page )
Police work has its downside . “ There is so much sadness ,” Tony laments , describing several gruesome cases . However , he calls the Emanuel AME Church mass shooting in June 2015 as “ the most horrific tragedy I was ever involved in . I can ’ t imagine that level of evil .” After the church shooting , he began to think more about a calmer life with more time for his family . “ The things that make police work challenging - diverse community concerns , and the prevention and investigation of homicides , rapes and traffic fatalities - are also stressful ,” he notes . “ That affects the quality of family time , and I live for my kids .” He regretted when he could not commit to time with his children , now 11 and 32 . And so he has come to direct security for KICA , where he has more predictable hours , fewer incidents that require the director ’ s intervention , a low crime rate , the support of the county sheriff ’ s office for serious problems , and 32 rather than 360 reportees . “ My family is more happy than they have been in a long time , and I am excited about coming to work every day ,” he remarks .
Until he somewhat inelegantly herniated his back , Tony did karate with his wife and son ; injured , he watched them earn their black belts . His wife retired from the police force when their son was young so she could home school him , and when they wanted him to be able to do archery , which was unavailable for home-schooled students , he and his wife became certified archery instructors and started a team , which now numbers about 30 home-schooled children and advanced to the regional and state championships in its first full year last year . He has also introduced archery to children attending summer camps for students in underprivileged communities .
From his first month on the job , Tony sought to improve both KICA security and security operations among the Kiawah entities ( KICA , the resort , the town and the developer ). A skilled communicator who promotes collaboration and earned praise for his work with the people most affected by the church shooting , he began in Kiawah by asking people , “ what can I do for you ?” “ No one , including [ resort president ] Roger Warren , asked for anything ,” he says . “ I have taken over a team that is already doing a wonderful job , and mostly , I just need to tweak things .”
In his first few weeks , Tony targeted technology upgrades to improve security operations . He was involved in implementing all the technology projects the city of Charleston put in place during his eight years with the CPD , including placing cameras in cars and on officers and deploying automatic license plate readers throughout the city . He has already begun implementing some technological improvements for KICA .
One of Tony ’ s first moves was to post a to-do list on a white board in his office and encourage staff to add to it . Some of the initial list items have already been budgeted . In his first month , he presciently listed storm management , not just for hurricanes but looking at options for traffic management during heavy rains and flood tides , as a high priority . His early list also included bike safety ,
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Security Enhancements
When Tony Elder joined KICA , one of his first tasks was to analyze KICA ’ s existing security operations from top to bottom . His report resulted in a number of recommendations , funding for which was supported by the KICA Board of Directors . Many of these enhancements have already been put into place , including :
• Adding new camera systems capturing entry and exit views at the main gate and Vanderhorst gate , and all entrances at the Sandcastle . Cameras are a " force-multiplier ." They are linked to the main gate by video monitor , and feed information to the security community advisors .
• Enhancing radio communications in partnership with the Kiawah Island Golf Resort . Operations currently use cell communication , which is often spotty , particularly in bad weather . The new system provides a radio system based out of The Sanctuary , the highest point on the island . Both KICA and resort security divisions are linked by radio . If there is a large-scale issue , such as a storm , information can be transmitted to KICA and resort security teams immediately . Because KICA is adding onto the resort ’ s existing system , there are also some cost savings .
• Increasing patrol personnel in 2017 . Reformulating shifts to 10 hours provides more overlap and staffing , allowing increased KICA security patrols .
Community Provides Valuable Feedback
On Jan . 6 , a community meeting was held at the Sandcastle where members provided feedback on a variety of security issues . KICA Security Director Tony Elder fielded questions about community access , safety and security roles for various entities - including the Town of Kiawah Island , Charleston County Sheriffs Office ( CCSO ) and the Kiawah Island Golf Resort - among other topics . KICA would like to thank member Denise Baker for coordinating the meeting , and summarizing the issues in a comprehensive report . The association is in the process of outlining an action plan to respond to the issues raised in this report .
A topic of particular concern at the meeting involved recent thefts of lawn furniture on the island . Increased community vigilance due to a tip from an alert member , along with KICA ' s new camera system ( see Security Enhancements above for more information ), aided in the identification of a suspect . One arrest has been made . Another suspect is still at large , but has been identified . CCSO is handling the investigation and more information will be provided as its available .