Mission and Values
Our Mission Statement
The primary mission of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is to safeguard the lives and property of Beaufort County’s residents and guests.
We foster and maintain partnerships within our community to better understand and address the diverse issues affecting Beaufort County.
It is our firm belief that these collaborative problem-solving efforts — along with the appropriate and impartial application of state and local laws — will improve the quality of life and sense of well-being for all Beaufort County residents and guests.
Our Commitment to the Community
- We respect the rights of all individuals.
- We hold ourselves to high account and endeavor to maintain agency integrity and credibility, fiscal responsibility and public trust in all we do.
- We adhere to ethical and humanitarian policies and practices.
- We value a work culture that facilitates professional growth for all.
- We seek to improve and grow our partnership with the community through outreach and education programs, volunteer initiatives and frequent and consistent communication.
Oath of Office for Deputy Sheriffs
I further solemnly swear (or affirm) that during my term of office as County Deputy, I will study the act prescribing my duties, will be alert and vigilant to enforce the criminal laws of the state and to detect and bring to punishment every violator of them, will conduct myself at all times with due consideration to all persons, and will not be influenced in any matter on account of personal bias or prejudice. So help me, God.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the importance of open government and believes transparency and accountability are vital to earning and maintaining the trust of our community.
We remain compliant with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act and endeavor to fulfill every reasonable FOIA request without delay or obstruction.
We are committed to establishing and maintaining direct and meaningful lines of communication between our office and the public we serve.
Law enforcement personnel, like all citizens, are protected by the guarantees of the United States Constitution; however, as public employees they are in a unique position of public trust and responsibility.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office established the Office of Professional Responsibility — commonly known as “Internal Affairs” — to ensure that all employees perform their duties in accordance with the highest professional standards, the agency’s policy and procedure, the law enforcement code of ethics, and state and federal laws.
The Office of Professional Responsibility is responsible for all administrative investigations surrounding allegations of misconduct within Sheriff’s Office.
Administrative investigations can be initiated by supervisors within the Sheriff’s Office or prompted by a citizen complaint.
The Sheriff’s Office publishes annual summaries of investigations conducted by the Office of Professional Responsibility. Click below for our most recent annual summaries:
As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession — law enforcement.
Sheriff P.J. Tanner recognizes accreditation as a proven way to help law enforcement organizations evaluate and improve their overall services, performance and professionalism.
Sheriff Tanner and the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office believe that accountability through rigorous and continued evaluation by independent accreditation boards, as well as adherence to strong internal policies, has been critical in fostering a positive relationship with the community we serve.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in its law enforcement services since July 31, 2010.
Our Communications Center — which handles 9-1-1 calls for the county — has been accredited by CALEA since Nov. 5, 2016.
Since June 17, 2011, our Forensic Services Laboratory has been accredited in Forensic Chemistry (Controlled Substances) and Forensic Biology (DNA) by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and the FBI Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories.
It is the policy of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to use the minimal amount of force necessary to deal with any given set of circumstances. In no instance shall any deputy sheriff exercise the use of force without due consideration for the safety of the general public, other deputies or the safety of suspects. The mission of the Sheriff’s Office is to apprehend criminal offenders and bring them before the proper court for the administration of justice according to law.
