Sheriff Thomas Summers

Sheriff Thomas Summers began his law enforcement career in 1987, when he was hired as a deputy with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office. One year later, he was named "Deputy of the Year." During his tenure with Calhoun County, he worked as an investigator solving numerous violent crimes. He was later promoted to Sergeant and then to Lieutenant, supervising enforcement operations. In 1994, Thomas was asked by Police Chief Leon Lott, to serve as the Assistant Chief of Police in St. Matthews. Two years later, when Chief Lott was elected Sheriff of Richland County, Thomas was selected as Police Chief for the Town of St. Matthews, where he served until 2001.

Sheriff Summers is a graduate of the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy, the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Program, and the FBI Command College.

Sheriff Summers has served as Sheriff of Calhoun County since 2001 and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the residents of Calhoun County by working together to solve community problems. In 2004, he was instrumental in the apprehension of Mikal Mahdi, who ultimately received the death penalty for the shooting death of Captain James Myers with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. In 2009, Sheriff Summers was nominated as an America's Most Wanted All-Star by the family of a homicide victim for his relentless efforts in apprehending the killer of a truck driver as he slept at a truck stop in Calhoun County. During his tenure, he has increased his staff from 16 certified deputies to 30.

He has implemented numerous programs and initiatives to better respond to the citizen's needs, all while utilizing extremely limited resources.

Some of the accomplishments Sheriff Summers has made as Sheriff include:    

• Placement of Certified School Resource Officers in Calhoun County Schools
• Establishment of a fully functional Police Canine Team
• Established a fully functional Marine Enforcement Unit with certified operators
• Hired the agency's first full-time Victim's Advocate
• Established a Polygraph Unit and implemented strict hiring guidelines
• Has written and been awarded numerous state and federal equipment grants
• Took responsibility from the County to oversee the 911 Communications Center 

In late 2010, after many years of planning and determined work, Sheriff Summers moved his agency from a small out dated building to a state-of-the-art facility complete with an upscale Training Room that has hosted numerous training and civic events.

In 2011, Sheriff Summers was nominated and selected by his fellow Sheriffs as South Carolina Sheriff of the Year. This award, presented by the South Carolina Sheriff's Association, is the first ever given to a Calhoun County Sheriff. The Sheriff has lived in Calhoun County for over forty years and still resides in Cameron.