SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — A proposal to create a citizen review board in Spartanburg County is moving forward but has drawn pushback from Sheriff Bill Rhyne, underscoring a divide over law enforcement accountability.
Why one county leader is pushing for the board
County councilman and public safety chair Monier Abusaft said the idea stems from concerns that problems in the sheriff’s office went unreported due to fear of retaliation.
“When we asked, ‘Did anybody know about this? Why didn’t we hear about this before?’ they said, ‘Yeah, it was widely known—we were just scared to lose our jobs,’” Abusaft said. “So, the forum is an opportunity to give not only citizens, but also people in the law enforcement community, a chance to be a canary in the coal mine.”
Abusaft emphasized the proposal is not aimed at Rhyne personally, but is meant to create lasting institutional change beyond any one administration…