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Mayor's Message – November 2026

October 28, 2026 – This year has been a blur – here we are with the holiday season right upon us already!
I know we all appreciate our Public Safety teams and what they do for our community, but this month I want to highlight a couple of our Police Department initiatives you may not be aware of.

Operation Safe Stop:

We launched Operation Safe Stop in August 2024 to ensure that our roads are safe for our youngest commuters. Last school year, more than 16 drivers were cited for illegally passing stopped school buses.

We want to remind all drivers to stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children. Our children’s safety is our top priority!
Our officers will be watching bus routes and stops before and after school to enforce critical safety laws and look for suspicious activity at bus stops.

  • Never attempt to pass a school bus when it is stopped, with the stop bar out and red lights flashing.
  • Be alert in school zones and residential streets, as children may cross the street to get to their bus.

Let’s work together to keep our children safe! Remember when the bus stops, YOU stop!

Saturation Saturday

Saturation Saturday was first launched in Missouri in 2016 as a night of increased law enforcement patrols and safety checkpoints designed to reduce incidents of drunk or drug impaired driving.

The IOP Police Department recently joined MADD South Carolina and law enforcement agencies across the country for Saturation Saturday. Officers conducted increased patrols with a focus on identifying and removing impaired drivers from our roadways.

The IOP results:

  • Traffic stops – 39
  • Arrests – 4
  • Citations – 15
  • Warnings – 32

Our officers were working to keep Isle of Palms roads safe and impaired drivers off the road!

Charges of driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs are severe and can have life-altering consequences. The average DUI charge can result in fines and fees over $10,000. You will spend the night in jail, have a criminal record, and possibly lose your vehicle and license. Of course, the most severe consequence of a DUI is the chance of great bodily harm or death to yourself, your passengers, or someone else. 

The men and women of the Isle of Palms Police Department want everyone to enjoy the upcoming holiday season safely.  Law enforcement from across the state will be out enforcing DUI laws during the upcoming holiday period. We have zero tolerance for these violations. Please be safe and have a plan.

Thank you to Chief Cornett and team for doing what they do!

October was full of great community events I hope you were able to participate in.  Another IOP favorite is happening on December 5 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Front Beach – our Holiday Street Festival. Arts and crafts, food vendors, children’s activities, live music, Santa Claus and tree lighting at 5:30. I hope to see you there!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve!

Phillip Pounds, Mayor IOP
843-252-5359
ppounds@isleofpalms.gov