Incident report reveals details that led to Aiken Public Safety patrol car being stolen

Oct. 5—An Aiken Department of Public Safety incident report shed more light on a stolen police vehicle and questions about how it happened.

The chase began around 10 a.m. Oct. 2 in Aiken and went through Aiken, Graniteville and the area surrounding S.C. Highway 421 before it came to an end with a crash on Glenwood Drive

The incident led to the arrest of 36-year-old Kevin Kirkland of Aiken, who faces charges of driving under suspension, grand larceny, failure to stop for a blue light, distribution of methamphetamine and escape or attempted to escape or possess tools to escape from prison and recaptured, according to jail records.

Kirkland is listed as an inmate at the Aiken County detention center.

A traffic stop, drug arrest and taking the police car

Aiken Public Safety Officer Massey was patrolling the area of Richland Avenue and Vaucluse Road when he saw a green Ford F-150 travel through the intersection turning east on Richland and saw an occupant who wasn't wearing a seat belt, according to an incident report from the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

Massey initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle as it stopped on Lancaster Street, the report said.

The driver told Massey she was in a hurry and forgot to put on her seat belt, the report said.

While Massey was speaking with the driver, she became upset while trying to find her driver's license and he noticed an open white bag that is commonly used to store narcotics, the report said.

Massey noticed Kirkland, a passenger, was fidgeting with a book bag and avoided making eye contact, the report said.

Massey instructed the woman to exit the vehicle in order to search for weapons. He asked how much meth was inside the vehicle, and the woman said there was none, the report said.

Kirkland agreed to be searched for weapons and said nothing illegal was in the vehicle when asked by police, so police began to search the vehicle, the report said.

Police observed Kirkland's backpack, a cup holder and a compartment with unloaded syringes. While Massey pulled the syringes out, he saw a clear baggy believed to contain methamphetamine, the report said.

Police detained the woman and Kirkland, with the woman being placed in Cpl. Easler's patrol vehicle, the report said.

Kirkland told Massey the meth wasn't his at first, but later said it was, the report said.

Kirkland told Massey the truck was his, but he let someone use it before the traffic stop, the report said.

Massey then placed Kirkland in the back of his patrol car and continued to search the vehicle, the report said.

He found a black SentrySafe lockbox; he asked Kirkland about the box and saw Kirkland's demeanor change, the report said.

Due to narcotics being in the vehicle, Massey placed the box on the passenger side of his patrol car, the report said.

While Massey went to secure the meth from the vehicle, officers heard the horn honk in Massey's patrol car, the report said.

Massey then looked around and saw that Kirkland had moved his handcuffs to the front and climbed through the cage, the report said.

Massey opened the passenger door to the vehicle as Kirkland fell into the driver's seat and placed the vehicle in drive, the report said.

Kirkland then fled in the patrol vehicle and collided with a Ford F-150 and officers pursued the vehicle, the report said.

The chase ended after the Aiken County Sheriff's Office used a PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuver and Kirkland was taken into custody.

What police are saying

The department's detainee transportation policies and procedures lay out rules for transporting detainees.

It says the transporting officer is responsible for the safety and custody of the detainee, and to search for weapons, contraband and tools of escape. It also says that all rear seat doors, handles and window controls are deactivated.

The policy also states there should be safety barriers between officers and detainees.

In an Aiken Public Safety car, the safety barrier is plexiglass between the front and back seats. Lt. Jennifer Hayes said the glass is to prevent spitting and items thrown at officers.

The policy said detainees should be restrained with double-locked handcuffs with their hands behind their back or to the front if the person is pregnant, has a physical handicap or injuries that could be aggravated by standard handcuffing.

Hayes said the vehicle will have to be replaced and will cost approximately $44,600, not including additional vehicle specifications for police.

The cost will be paid by insurance.

In an email, Hayes said the case is being reviewed and investigated when asked if anyone is going to face disciplinary action for the incident.

Hayes said any issues found during the investigation related to policy or procedures followed will be addressed to ensure a similar situation doesn't happen.

The Aiken Standard asked if the officer involved was placed on administrative leave. Hayes said the investigation is still ongoing and the department should know more about that by the middle of next week.