Sheriff P.J. Tanner

As Beaufort County’s law enforcement leader, Sheriff Tanner has consistently and successfully anticipated the needs of this fast-growing and diverse community and has remained steadfast in his belief that a law enforcement agency is only as good as the policies to which it adheres.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has advanced substantially since Sheriff Tanner started as a deputy. Today, the population is nearly 200,000, three times the size it was in 1981, and the county receives more than 2 million visitors a year.

Sheriff Tanner’s 340-person department — with its 245 sworn deputies and $32 million annual budget — is not only responsible for policing the county’s 900-plus square miles of road and waterway but also the county’s emergency management and dispatch for public safety.

During Sheriff’s Tanner’s tenure, the agency has maintained accreditations from CALEA, both in law enforcement and emergency dispatch services; established its own Forensic Services Laboratory, which includes DNA and chemistry sections; and prioritized its relationship with the community by embracing transparency, welcoming accountability and expanding its public communications.

Sheriff Tanner and his deputies have dedicated themselves to ensuring that Beaufort County is a prepared, protected and peaceful community, where residents and businesses can prosper, and guests can safely enjoy the county’s beautiful resources.

Sheriff Tanner has sat on a number of community boards and state and local advisory committees during the past two decades. He has also served as president of the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association.

He is married to attorney and Beaufort County magistrate Angela McCall-Tanner of Greer, South Carolina.