Women’s History Month – Celebrating Female Leaders

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is using the month of March to put the spotlight on three of its successful female leaders, their contributions and their achievements throughout their journey to where they are today.

Meet our local female leaders: Brenda Snelgrove: Crime Scene Investigation Sergeant

Brenda Snelgrove originally came to the agency to work in Crime Scene Investigation, and after being with the department for almost eight years, she was promoted to sergeant in 2021.

Her day-to-day is filled with a little bit of everything from going on calls, reviewing reports, assigning labs, executing search warrants, to overseeing and training staff. When called to a scene, she usually has an idea of what they are responding to. Once on the scene, it is important to make sure they have the authority to be there to do their job. After that has been established, she will begin with overall photographs working from the outside to the inside leading to the scene.

Before joining LCSD, Snelgrove felt as if she was faced with some barriers in her job due to being a woman. At only 21 years old, she felt like she was sheltered a lot from the gruesome stuff even though she came into this career knowing she wanted to be a CSI. At this point in her career, she feels very supported by her peers at LCSD and former colleagues.

An important piece of advice to take away from her journey would be, “This agency is pretty amazing. Just be yourself, be decisive and keep going. Don’t give up until you get it!”

Jenn Burns: Region Captain

Jenn Burns began her career at the Lexington Police Department in 1998 for three years. She really connected with the atmosphere and culture of Lexington County, so she decided to call it home.

Burns was hired at LCSD in 2001, and spent a little more than a year on the road. In 2002, she went into narcotics, as she found herself passionate about this area. She spent the next six years in this division, until it landed her a promotion to sergeant for the South Region in 2008. Burns didn’t stop there. As there weren’t a lot of female lieutenants on the operations side at the time, Burns made that her goal. It took four tries, but she finally got promoted in 2012 as the watch commander. In 2017, she was then promoted to her current role as region commander and the rank of captain.

“It’s been a great, great journey. I could not have predicted how it would have turned out,” Burns said.

Burns is definitely kept busy day-to-day. She refers to herself as a problem solver. It’s actually her favorite part of her job.

“I love solving problems. When someone brings me a problem, I really try to tackle it the best way I can,” she said.

When asked if she has ever been faced with any type of barriers in her career due to being a woman, Burns says no. After graduating from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in 1998, she hit the ground running with confidence. She said the pioneers of this job, the women who came up in the 70’s and 80’s, paved the way for her. She promotes the tremendous amount of opportunities available at LCSD that can lead anyone to success within law enforcement.

If there is any important piece of advice Burns has taken away from her walk through law enforcement it’s this, “Always walk around with impeccable integrity. If you lead your life with integrity, everything else will fall into place.”

Margaret Walker: Chemist

Having a degree in forensic chemistry with a minor in criminal justice, Margaret Walker started her position in 2016 as the only chemist in the agency. She never thought she would be working with narcotics, but it has been a great opportunity for her.

Her day-to-day consists of processing unknown substances, such as suspected narcotics brought in by deputies, narcotic agents or other agencies. Once the substances are tested and go to court, Walker will then testify on behalf of her knowledge indicating the results. She endures a healthy blend of working both the forensics and chemistry side of processing.

Walker really enjoys trying to solve the unknown puzzle put in front of her daily. Usually, she is unaware of what she is dealing with until she performs the appropriate testing to figure it out. When trying to pinpoint what her favorite part of her job is, she said, “That’s hard because I love my job a lot and I love everything that I do.”

As a woman in a pivotal role, Walker makes it clear that she feels supported by her peers at LCSD. It is also a plus having multiple women in her chain of command to help back her up when needed. Everything within the agency is full support by the male and female leaders. “If we can’t do it, we will figure out how to do it,” said Walker.

While work is important to Walker, the most important advice she has ever received is to enjoy your time outside of work. She took this advice and turned it into a piece of her own to share with others. “Don’t let the stress get to you. Take that opportunity! If you need to take a mental health day, take it. If you need to go outside and scream, go ahead,” she said.

Want to become a female leader?

Aspiring to be a female leader is a goal we are here to help you reach at our agency. Check out our current jobs to find the right fit for you. We are here to help support anyone with their path through law enforcement. Not only is LCSD dedicated to our community, we are dedicated to the success of each individual ready to make an impact. Contact us today with any questions.

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The Bridge Between Core Values and Community

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is a full-service law enforcement agency serving more than 270,000 residents in Lexington County, South Carolina. As a diverse group of individuals, we are committed to making a positive impact on the community while delivering exemplary service. The road to success is driven by the integrity of leadership within the agency.

Sheriff Jay Koon has passionately espoused the value and importance of relationships since he took office in 2015. In fact, it is one of his favorite and most-used words in casual conversation and messages at community events.

In order to bring the Sheriff Department’s vision to life, the standards have been set high within the agency. Professionalism, compassion, honesty and relationships are the integral puzzle pieces connecting each member. Not only do the core values define our commitment to the community, we also uses these principles as motivational guideposts to help build strong bonds, gain trust and instill efficiency.

Professionalism: Qualified, skilled, and committed to delivering exemplary service

At LCSD, professionalism involves consistently achieving high standards both visibly and behind the scenes. We aim to provide a strong customer service presence in all that is done at LCSD.

Looking the part is important. Upholding a professional look in regard to uniforms, vehicles and personal appearance is an important part of showing pride in serving the community.

Professionalism is taken to the next level when it comes to our hiring standards. The Sheriff’s Department prides itself on being leaders both in and out of the workplace. These expectations help contribute to the skills, traits, training and culture required as part of a commitment to provide continual learning and personal development.

Compassion: We lead and serve our community with kindness and understanding

A compassionate leader is a successful leader. We often deal with people on their worst days, occasions they never imagined they face. There are instances where we can take a person’s property, freedom and, in the most extreme cases, potentially their life. This is why compassion is a hallmark on how to inform and engage in those situations. Both empathy and sensitivity are essential to the call to be compassionate for others as it is part of the commitment to doing what’s right.

Honesty: We uphold the highest standards of ethical and moral behavior

We believe the best way to build a reputable relationship with the community is through honesty. Law enforcement officers are on their own a lot. It is paramount to remain true to one another, and the community.

In reality, mistakes will happen. Sheriff Koon makes it his mission to inform every person he hires that he can deal with mistakes because they can be addressed and corrected. Honesty is the linchpin to our relationship with the community and our viability as a law enforcement agency.

Relationships: We value collaboration with our community and public safety partners

Building a viable relationship with the community is a primary focus. Not only do we strive for a deep, sincere and loyal relationship with community members, we also foster relationships with other law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level.

Our relationships commitment also extends to community groups, non-profits, HOAs, professional associations (i.e. South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police).

Core values pave the way for success

Do you want to be a part of an agency that provides the tools to help you succeed? LCSD is the place for you. Learn more about current job opportunities or contact us with any questions.

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Joining Forces

A new year brings a new age of generation to law enforcement. In 2022, South Carolina lawmakers passed a new bill that lowers the minimum age for detention deputies from 21 to 18. This opens up career opportunities for younger generations to begin their career in law enforcement right after high school graduation. With new talent joining our ranks, we also celebrate a lifetime of service and dedication at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

New year, new wave of talent. Detention Deputy Brown joins LCSD at the age of 19

With aspirations to be a patrol deputy one day, 19-year-old Landon Brown, is the first teenager to be hired under the new legislation as a detention deputy at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. His hiring marks the start of a new era. It was actually a friend who told Brown about the change in the 2022 legislation and he knew he’d be perfect for the job. The age requirement change meant he could apply, and he was told it was a good environment to learn and build his skill set in before potentially moving to patrol deputy position.

After multiple business interviews right out of high school, Brown felt talked down to and as though the fit wasn’t quite right. At LCSD, Brown immediately felt at home.

“When I went to the interview with LCSD, [they] just kind of asked me who I was and what I like to do in life and how I thought I’d be a good correction officer regardless of my age and if I’d done it before. [They] just talked to me like [they] were talking to good friends and that was the first family moment I had,” Brown said.

Brown is set to soon enroll in the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy for its three-week Basic Detention course.

Lieutenant Novak’s career ladder – seeking and seizing new opportunities

It was at a young age that Lt. Doug Novak was interested in a career in law enforcement, as he had an uncle who was a sheriff in a small town in Nebraska. His parents lived in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to Lexington County in the 1990s. Novak soon followed them to the area when he was 27.

After working in state government for a couple of years, Novak started his career at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department in December 1998. Novak began as a detention deputy for two years and graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. After the academy, he worked in the courthouse for a couple of years before his promotion to school resource officer (SRO). He then worked as a property crimes detective in the North Region for three years and was transferred to Major Crimes. Three years later, he was promoted to sergeant over evidence.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for movement in the department, and you have a lot of collateral duties. The training is great here, and it doesn’t hurt that the pay went up again this year,” Novak said.

Novak’s movement within the Sheriff’s Department did not stop after his time in evidence, as he was promoted to lieutenant, serving as the assistant commander of West Region. The support from his co-workers and the community are what have kept him at the Sheriff’s Department for more than two decades.

“The people I work with are pleasant, understanding and family-oriented, and the community is the same way,” Novak said.

As for the future, Novak plans to continue to learn as a lieutenant with the desire to move up to captain. Novak said former supervisors heavily influenced his career advancement at the Sheriff’s Department.

50 years of service, we celebrate Colonel Mel Seboe

At 50 years with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Seboe is the most decorated and longest-serving employee of the department ever. If you ask him, Seboe chalks his decorated life up to God and chance. But if you take a look at his time as a law enforcement officer over the years, it’s clear he’s played a role in his own success.

“I’ve been standing in the right line, at the right time, under the right circumstances and that has been my life,” he said.

Seboe’s willingness to adapt is just part of the reason he’s still wearing a uniform. Aside from his former duties on the bomb unit, he manages the department vehicles and carries the only .44 magnum revolver in the agency. With only 25 years needed in law enforcement to retire, one would think he’s more than ready to stop. But to Seboe, it’s not entirely a job.

“I still think it’s fun to come to work. I guess when they get tired of me or when I get tired of it, yeah, we’ll stop.” he said.

Over the years, he’s experienced upgrades to nearly every tool and technology deputies use. When someone complains of a computer glitch or GPS malfunction, one story from Seboe’s early days without working radios can humble them.

“You had to go to somebody’s place, either a public place or a friend’s place, to find a telephone to call back to headquarters and ask them, ‘Can you find somebody close enough that you can send me some help because I need help going on whatever that call was for,’” Seboe said.

A lifetime of dedication and service made stronger

Here at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department we take pride in integrity, passion and community focus. As the year 2023 brings on change, we believe this will better our service to our community by welcoming a new generation to the field. Together we stand stronger.

If you have a passion for serving your community, then a career at Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is for you. Feel free to reach out to us through our contact us form if you have any questions about jobs or working for LCSD.