[7] In the early colonial period, police protection for the citizens of Charleston was performed by the Town Watch, a paramilitary unit.

[8] From 1846 to 1855, the City Guard was reorganized several times and finally emerged in 1856 as a uniformed police force under the administration of Mayor William Porcher Miles.

[8] Before the close of the Civil War, martial law was enacted in Charleston, and the city police force disbanded.

By 1880 the Police Force had, "...one hundred men, including a chief, three to five lieutenants, six to ten sergeants, three to four detectives, and seventy-three to eighty-five privates".

[16] On January 19, 2021, Police say a man by the name of Montrez Cyrus Simmons of North Charleston South Carolina was wanted for multiple violent crimes in the Lowcountry including murder and carjackings has been arrested following a chase in the Charleston area which led to the suspect getting shot in an officer-involved shooting.

Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds said the man, who has not been identified, is wanted for various crimes including a recent murder in Georgetown, a carjacking in Mount Pleasant that happened on Monday and an armed carjacking that happened earlier this evening in Charleston.

According to Reynolds, at the end of the pursuit, shots were fired and the suspect was transported to a hospital for injuries from a gunshot wound.

Reynolds stressed that it was the second time in weeks that his officers had encountered a violent suspect with a criminal background who was armed.

Earlier tonight, viewers reported law enforcement units chasing a car followed by a wreck in a yard.

One viewer who captured video of the incident said that someone appeared to be on the ground following the chase with law enforcement units directing traffic away from the scene.

[18] On March 10, 2021, officers were notified of a man walking around the Colonial Grand at Cypress Cove apartment complex with a semi-automatic rifle around 11:00 a.m.

The Town Watch had two main headquarters buildings during their time, the first was located above the Half Moon Battery (today the site of the Exchange and Provost).

The second building was located on Broad Street, "...between, the Public Armory, State House, St Michael's, and the Market".

The site of the new Guard House is where the United States Post Office and Courthouse (Charleston, South Carolina) would later stand.

The Central Police Station was located, "...at the corner of King and Hutson streets, a lot which was "long vacant, neglected, and most unsightly"".

In February 1906, the Citadel Military Academy was looking to expand and asked the City to sell the building to the State, an agreement that was finalized in 1908.