Safety First is Larry Sypolt's Motto in Campaign to be Columbia Mayor

Driving around Columbia with Larry Sypolt in his black pickup truck feels a bit like being on patrol. The former Richland County deputy, who is aiming to become Columbia’s next mayor, keeps a running monologue while behind the wheel, pointing out places of note, as a jumble of ideas make their way from his brain into the air.

Sypolt’s path to victory in November is, to be blunt, narrow. Mayor Steve Benjamin is an overwhelming favorite to be re-elected against Sypolt and councilman Moe Baddourah. The second quarter fundraising totals are an indicator of the odds Sypolt faces—he raised $1,900 while Baddourah raised more than $16,000. Benjamin raised over $100,000.

When a reporter asks Sypolt (sarcastically) when he fell on his head—as if that would be the only circumstance to cause Sypolt to run—he provides a date: October 18, 2002.

That was the day Sypolt actually fell on his head while executing a search warrant as an officer with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The injury necessitated he have emergency brain surgery. “It was touch and go for a while,” Sypolt said, noting that the incident had no impact on his decision to run for mayor.

Sypolt recovered and returned to duty, eventually working for the FBI and then starting his own security business.

Given his background, it’s no surprise the number one issue in Sypolt’s campaign is safety and security. Benjamin insists that crime has gone done. Sypolt doesn’t believe him. “I don’t believe that for a second. They’re cooking the books,” Sypolt said.

Like many people, Sypolt has grown weary of the perpetual struggles with leadership at the city’s police department.

He thinks the solution is to increase cooperation with the RCSD and “lean on the expertise” of Sheriff Leon Lott, his former boss. The respect he has for the RCSD dates back to his time as an officer. “I know whenever I was in pursuit of a suspect, whenever I saw that (RCSD) helicopter, I felt safer,” Sypolt said.

Sypolt said the two law enforcement agencies should ease into a merger. The county has a number of hi-tech tools the city does not, and a merger would save the city the cost of buying them.

As the only of the three candidates to be born in Columbia, Sypolt said he’s against hiring someone from outside to fill the latest vacancy for sheriff. “We need someone who has a vested interest in this community, who doesn’t view this as a stepping stone to another job,” he said. “It would be great for morale if we chose someone from within.”

Like Baddourah, Sypolt is critical of the Bull Street project. “We need to do something with the property but there was no transparency. I mean, if we can’t operate a police department how can we be expected to run this?”

Sypolt said the city should not have allowed itself to be pressured into negotiations. “If we have to worry about making a deal so fast and that the deal needs to be done right now, then that’s not a good deal.”

Sypolt said this kind of shortsighted decision-making is a reason he’d like to see term limits for the council. “We have people doing things just to get re-elected.”

As for the mayor, Sypolt makes little secret of his feeling toward the mayor. “He’s done well with having a cadre of supporters on city council who will always vote his way,” Sypolt said.

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