COLUMBIA, S.C. — Four South Carolina law enforcement officers were honored for their achievements today at the 41st annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon.
State, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across South Carolina attended the awards luncheon to celebrate these officers. The awards are presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation.
The 2024 honorees are:
City – Captain Marty Sawyer, Aiken Department of Public Safety
County – Chief Deputy Tom Fox, Horry County Sheriff’s Office
State – Director Bryan Stirling, S.C. Department of Corrections
Federal – Special Agent Paul Criswell, Homeland Security Investigations
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by then Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of the four categories: (1) city/municipal; (2) county; (3) state; and (4) federal. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, SCLEOA, and past recipients selects the winners from nominations received from across the state.
