Former North Charleston Officer Louis Smoak Charged with Misconduct
A former North Charleston Police officer, Louis Marion Smoak, has been indicted on a charge of misconduct in office following an incident in November 2023.
The charge stems from an altercation that occurred in the Dorchester Road Walmart parking lot. According to court documents, Smoak, 44, allegedly used excessive force against a victim who was handcuffed at the time. Investigators say Smoak struck the victim in the chest with a closed fist, forcefully removed the person from a patrol vehicle, causing their head to strike the pavement, and slammed the victim’s head against the vehicle.
SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division) began investigating the incident after North Charleston Police requested assistance on January 22. The charges were officially filed last Wednesday.
At the time of the incident, the identity of the person in custody and the reason for the arrest were not disclosed. The North Charleston Police Department announced that Smoak resigned from the force on January 24, just days after the investigation began.
Smoak was booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center, though as of Tuesday afternoon, he was no longer listed as an inmate. The North Charleston Police Department has declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.