Sherfield’s rise to LPD chief continues family legacy
New LPD Chief Dillon Sherfield, with his wife, Kristen, and children Jackson, Raylan and Rilee, gets some help holding the family Bible as he follows Mayor Nathan Senn in the Oath of Office. Photo – Judith Brown
Laurens, South Carolina – With his hand on his great-grandfather’s Bible and surrounded by his wife and children, Dillon Sherfield accepted the Oath of Office from Mayor Nathan Senn Monday afternoon to become Laurens’ chief of police at the city’s municipal center.
It was a moment Sherfield had considered since childhood – following in the steps of his great-grandfather, James M. Barrett into a post Barrett filled for the final 20 years of his 45-year career at the Laurens Police Department. His maternal grandfather, Keith Barrett, also served in the department for decades.
The footsteps and shadows have been large for Sherfield, but he has embraced them. Chief Barrett became a Laurens law enforcement legend and unknowingly set Sherf ield’s course.
“When I was little boy there was a shadow box with his key to the city, his badge and a small plaque at the very bottom that says his years of service,” Sherfield said. “I have it in my office now, but I always used to look at it when I went over to go visit him, and I was just amazed by it. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, and I knew from a pretty young age this was something I wanted to do.”
Several former LPD chiefs, including Heath Copeland, Chrissie Latimore and at right, Sonny Ledda, joined Sherfield for Monday’s swearing in ceremony. Photo-Judith Brown
Sherfield is following Heath Copeland, who on July 3 announced his retirement after 26 years with the Laurens Police Department. With his letter to Mayor Nathan Senn, Copeland recommended that then-Assistant Police Chief Sherfield take the reins.
Sherfield credits his ability to take on the position with the system of leadership development Copeland had in place and the intensive training available to law enforcement officers who need to be ready for anything.
In the years since graduating from Laurens District High School, Sherfield earned an associate degree in Criminal Justice, took FBI training classes, completed specialized supervisory and leadership training and as many other opportunities as possible and completed his bachelor’s degree.
While he acknowledges that some may assume that under 12 years in the Laurens Police Department may seem inadequate to take on a major leadership role, he said that all that intensive preparation is the key.
“The training and the experience level is up, and we are expecting brand new officers to hit the ground running,” Sherfield said. “You have to answer calls fast, and at those times you’re going to resort to your highest level of training. You are not resorting to expectations but to your training.”
Sherfield said his department’s philosophy will continue to rely on partnerships and service.
“I’m looking forward to the partnerships that I can continue that Chief Copeland’s already established and find new partnerships with the community – to serve first, protect second,” Sherfield said. “You’ve got to have the community support to begin with, so if you remember that it’s a servant’s mindset first, then all the protection can come afterwards.”
Photo-Judith Brown
Sherfield said the department will continue taking a harder stance on quality of life issues for Laurens residents, such as traffic patterns, noise and other issues that might be considered simple but affect everyone’s quality of life. The department will also not be letting up on its dedicated investigations regarding criminal activity and illegal drug use and sales.
“We’re continuing and enhancing what Chief Copeland has been doing,” he said.
This story originally ran Page 1 of the Wednesday, July 22 issue of The Laurens County Advertiser.
