(Chasiti Kirkland Jackson contributed to this report.)
Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt Sr. will retire after this term and has endorsed Aiken Public Safety Capt. Marty Sawyer to replace him.
The sheriff made the announcement Thursday afternoon in front of a crowd gathered at the Aiken County courthouse to hear Capt. Sawyer’s campaign kickoff.
Talking to a crowd outside the Aiken County courthouse, Capt. Sawyer thanked the sheriff and announced his candidacy to become the county’s 19th sheriff with a focus on serving and protecting with emphasis on gangs and mental health, among others. Behind him was not only Sheriff Hunt but also Coroner Darryl Ables and Solicitor Bill Weeks.
Next year’s election is expected to include at least one other candidate: Lt. Lucas Grant, head of the Community Services Division for Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, who lives in Aiken County.
Lt. Grant has not made any official announcement. On Wednesday, he wished Capt. Sawyer well. “Congratulations to Capt. Sawyer for coming out today and good luck to him,” Lt. Grant said in a phone interview.
Capt. Sawyer has spent a lifetime in law enforcement rising through the ranks in Aiken from public safety officer to his current position as head of the criminal investigations division. His duties currently include supervising adult and juvenile investigations, narcotic investigations, victim services, property and evidence, and school resource officers.
Capt. Sawyer worked in the patrol division for eight years. After assignments in the Special Operations and Narcotics divisions and the ATF Rage Task Force, he was promoted to captain of Investigations in 2012.
Capt. Sawyer and his wife Kimberly have two daughters and are members of St. Johns United Methodist Church in Aiken.
On his website – sawyer4sheriff.com – Sawyer spells out his three key issues for Aiken County, including making sure his staff has all necessary equipment and training, being transparent and accountable to residents on how their tax dollars are being spent and coordination with schools, other law enforcement agencies, and community leaders.
“These partnerships will make it easier to solve and prevent violent crime, gang crimes, and improve school safety,” he said on the website.
Sheriff Hunt became the 18th sheriff of Aiken County in May 2003 during a special election. A year later, he ran unopposed to win his first full term. His career spans more than two decades. Prior to joining ACSO, Sheriff Hunt headed up the Special Services Bureau as a lieutenant with the Aiken Department of Public Safety where he received The Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement in 2001.
Greg Rickabaugh is the Jail Report contributor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at greg.rickabaugh@theaugustapress.com
