Lt. William C. “Billy” Aiken died unexpectedly in October 2019. Lt. Aiken served as the lieutenant over special operations. Working for LCSD was his way of life, a passion and what he loved to do. He was with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department for about 20 years, meaning his name rings a bell for almost anyone in the department. They knew who he was, what he was about and what he stood for.
Lt. Aiken’s two sons, Michael and Christian, decided to honor his legacy by joining LCSD. Growing up, Michael said their dad “always had a huge influence on [them], especially being a dad…and seeing how his work ethic was and how passionate he was about everything.”
They said when they were younger their father would take them to school and they wanted everyone to know their dad was the parent driving the patrol car. They attended events at the department throughout their childhood.
Michael described his hesitation about joining the department because he “wanted to leave his [father’s] legacy here. Those were tremendous shoes to fill, and still are.”
After graduating college, he knew LCSD was exactly where he was supposed to be. Christian joined a different agency after college, but then came to LCSD. He said LCSD “always felt like home.”
For Christian’s graduation, the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy had a chair honoring Lt. Aiken with his hat and belt. After receiving his certification, Christian was met with 50 men who were eager to shake his hand and offer congratulations.
Michael described the moment as emotional and an eye-opening experience. When Michael graduated, his brother, Christian, handed him his certification.
One of the most memorable moments was when the brothers heard the department had designated their father’s handguns: one for each son.
“That they still had his duty weapons and they’ve never even been reissued out,” Michael said. “When I first found that out, that really sent the message to me that he meant a lot to everyone here. For them to do that was very special to me.”
If you are interested in working with LCSD and finding a place that truly values family and feels like home, check out our current positions.