Darlington County's Colonel Williamson Receives South Carolina's Highest Civilian Honor

A trooper who started his career as a Darlington County deputy has just received one of the highest honors South Carolina can give.

Governor Henry McMaster presented South Carolina Highway Patrol Colonel Christopher Williamson with the Order of the Palmetto on August 12, recognizing nearly 40 years of service to the state. The award, established in 1971, goes to citizens who show a lifetime of extraordinary achievement and service on a statewide or national scale. It is about as rare a recognition as South Carolina hands out.

For folks in the Pee Dee, Williamson's story runs close to home. After graduating from Fayetteville State University in 1985, he joined the Darlington County Sheriff's Office as a deputy before moving to the South Carolina Highway Patrol in 1988. His career took him through the ranks over the following decades: Captain in 2003, Lieutenant Colonel and Deputy Commander in 2011, and in 2017, he became the first African American commander in Highway Patrol history.

Williamson has said his decision to go into law enforcement traces back to personal loss. He was the oldest of 12 children, and after his 9-year-old sister was killed by an impaired driver while riding her bicycle, he made it his mission to get dangerous drivers off South Carolina roads.

BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN TROOPERS AND COMMUNITY

As Colonel, he has put real weight behind programs meant to build trust between troopers and the communities they serve. He started Lunch Buddies, which sends troopers into schools to spend time with students, and helped launch the S.T.R.E.E.T. Program (Setting The Right Example Every Time), aimed at positive interactions between officers and children. Under his leadership, the Highway Patrol has also partnered with the Roc Solid Foundation to build playsets for kids fighting pediatric cancer, and troopers take part in Shop with a Cop each Christmas, pairing up with children affected by fatal collisions for a holiday shopping trip.

He has also pushed for better mental health support within the department, working with the SC Law Enforcement Assistance Program to bring on a full-time wellness coordinator for troopers, civilian staff, and their families.

"I have always taken so much pride in wearing this uniform and serving others through my work, but to have that work recognized in this meaningful way is a true honor."

A CAREER WORTH HONORING

The recognitions have added up over the years. In 2021, the General Assembly renamed a stretch of Darlington County roadway in his honor. He has also received the Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Medallion from Brookland Baptist Church.

A career that started with a badge in Darlington County has now earned the highest recognition the state can give. That is a Pee Dee story worth telling.

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