Sheriff praises deputies’ hurricane response and urges pay increases

At his final council meeting, the McCormick County sheriff described an intense emergency response during Hurricane Helene and urged the council to address deputy pay.

"In the first three days after Hurricane Helene we answered 363 calls for service...my deputies were out there on the street assisting citizens in peril or need, putting themselves in harm's way," the sheriff told county council. He detailed multiple incidents, including deputies injured by fallen trees and damaged patrol vehicles.

The sheriff told council that starting pay for a non‑certified deputy in the county is about $38,000 a year with a modest step increase after academy training; he contrasted that with reported EMT/paramedic pay ranges and said the sheriff’s office had requested a 20% pay increase for staff in the coming budget cycle. "You say you pray for them, I say pay them," he said.

The sheriff highlighted public‑safety rankings: McCormick County was shown in the referenced slate report as the county with the lowest violent crime rate and second‑safest overall ranking in South Carolina, and he tied that performance to investment in law enforcement retention.

He also raised concerns about capital penny projects and said the sheriff’s office was not prioritized on some lists, although the radio upgrade included the sheriff as a user. He asked the council to support incoming Sheriff Chad Cox and said a new sheriff’s facility is needed because current space lacks interview rooms, secure holding and other features.

The council did not take immediate action on pay scales during the meeting; the sheriff said he expected further consideration during the county's upcoming budget process.