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.