Lee Foster Named SC Sheriff Of The Year
The South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is proud to announce Sheriff James “Lee” Foster of Newberry County has been selected as the Association’s 2024 Sheriff of the Year.
To be eligible for the award, a sheriff must be nominated by a fellow sheriff. Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile proudly nominated Sheriff Foster, whom he described as a “Pioneer of community policing [here] in South Carolina by working in specific communities and actively participating in community problem solving.”
In nominating Sheriff Foster, Faile lauded him saying, “Lee always sets a good example, leads the charge to make things better for our state, and represents the sheriffs in our state well.” He went on to recognize Foster for leading Newberry County to have one of the lowest crime rates in the nation and one of the highest clearance rates in South Carolina.
Foster, who has more than 36 years of experience as a certified law enforcement officer, was sworn in as the Sheriff of Newberry County in January of 1989. He has served continuously in this position since that time and is the longest serving active sheriff in the state. Prior to being elected as Sheriff of Newberry County, Foster worked in law enforcement since 1973. He served as both a Jr. Police Officer and Part Time Police Officer with the Town of Prosperity and he was the Chief of the Little Mountain Police Department from 1978-1979. Foster worked with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office from 1979-1984 where he rose through the ranks from deputy to Captain of the Patrol Division and Captain of the Investigation Division. Foster also worked as a Senior Criminology Instructor at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy from 1984-1988. He has been awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the United States Attorney General’s Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement, the South Carolina Victim’s Advocates Association Sheriff of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year, Civitan Citizen of the Year, the National Humanitarian of the Year by the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Highway Safety Hero, and many, many other awards.
Foster has served or is serving on the United States Attorney’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, the United States Attorney’s Task Force on Violent Crime, the Executive Committee of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Governor’s Task Force for the Advancement of Public Safety, the Homeland Security Council, the Victim’s Notification Network Advisory Council, the State Law Enforcement Division Advisory Panel, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council, and the Small Rural, Tribal, and Border Advisory Board.
Sheriff Faile also highlighted Foster’s commitment to the law enforcement profession at the local, state, and federal level calling him a “Devoted officer who is driven by his passion for law enforcement and serving his community. Lee has built a culture of integrity, accountability, and efficiency within the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office. He has introduced live feed crime mapping as well as live feed video visitation for inmates and their families. He does extremely well at utilizing social media platforms to connect with his community and to share breaking news.”
The Sheriffs’ Association’s Sheriff of the Year Award will be presented to Sheriff Foster at the Association’s Annual Conference, which will be held in Myrtle Beach in July.
The South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is proud to announce Sheriff James “Lee” Foster of Newberry County has been selected as the Association’s 2024 Sheriff of the Year.
To be eligible for the award, a sheriff must be nominated by a fellow sheriff. Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile proudly nominated Sheriff Foster, whom he described as a “Pioneer of community policing [here] in South Carolina by working in specific communities and actively participating in community problem solving.”
In nominating Sheriff Foster, Faile lauded him saying, “Lee always sets a good example, leads the charge to make things better for our state, and represents the sheriffs in our state well.” He went on to recognize Foster for leading Newberry County to have one of the lowest crime rates in the nation and one of the highest clearance rates in South Carolina.
Foster, who has more than 36 years of experience as a certified law enforcement officer, was sworn in as the Sheriff of Newberry County in January of 1989. He has served continuously in this position since that time and is the longest serving active sheriff in the state. Prior to being elected as Sheriff of Newberry County, Foster worked in law enforcement since 1973. He served as both a Jr. Police Officer and Part Time Police Officer with the Town of Prosperity and he was the Chief of the Little Mountain Police Department from 1978-1979. Foster worked with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office from 1979-1984 where he rose through the ranks from deputy to Captain of the Patrol Division and Captain of the Investigation Division. Foster also worked as a Senior Criminology Instructor at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy from 1984-1988. He has been awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the United States Attorney General’s Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement, the South Carolina Victim’s Advocates Association Sheriff of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year, Civitan Citizen of the Year, the National Humanitarian of the Year by the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Highway Safety Hero, and many, many other awards.
Foster has served or is serving on the United States Attorney’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, the United States Attorney’s Task Force on Violent Crime, the Executive Committee of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Governor’s Task Force for the Advancement of Public Safety, the Homeland Security Council, the Victim’s Notification Network Advisory Council, the State Law Enforcement Division Advisory Panel, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council, and the Small Rural, Tribal, and Border Advisory Board.
Sheriff Faile also highlighted Foster’s commitment to the law enforcement profession at the local, state, and federal level calling him a “Devoted officer who is driven by his passion for law enforcement and serving his community. Lee has built a culture of integrity, accountability, and efficiency within the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office. He has introduced live feed crime mapping as well as live feed video visitation for inmates and their families. He does extremely well at utilizing social media platforms to connect with his community and to share breaking news.”
The Sheriffs’ Association’s Sheriff of the Year Award will be presented to Sheriff Foster at the Association’s Annual Conference, which will be held in Myrtle Beach in July.
