Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, July 15, 2020, The True Citizen
with
COMPILED BY
DIANA ROYAL
Lewis Blanchard, who has
served as chief deputy at the
Burke County Sheriff’s Office
since January 2017, recently
submitted his letter of resigna
tion and plans for retirement.
Blanchard began his career
as a beach patrolman and
EMT before transitioning into
law enforcement full time in
1990. That year, he began as
a campus police officer for
the Columbia County School
System, where he served 10
years, the majority of which
were as chief of police. Just
Blanchard back during the
police academy
four years in, he was deemed
Public Safety Officer of the
Year after saving the lives of
two high school students.
Though Blanchard left law
enforcement for some time to
pursue business ventures, he
continued to help assist agen
cies when possible, and his
love for law enforcement never
faltered. He took the skills he
gained as an entrepreneur and
applied them when he returned
to law enforcement, climbing
the ranks of various agencies
and earning “Deputy of the
Year” status for the state of
Georgia in 2013. He began
making his transition to the
BCSO when he joined Alfonzo
Williams in his bid for county
sheriff. As campaign chairman,
Blanchard helped Williams
achieve a 73 percent victory
and, more recently, a second
term as sheriff.
Here, he tells us why he got
into the career of law enforce
ment and what serving in
Burke County has been like.
TC: What was it that made
you pursue a career in law en
forcement?
LB: I have always had a
passion to serve others, but
I would also say it probably
had something to do with TV
shows such as Adam 12, Chips,
and Emergency - Squad 51.1
started working in the public
safety held as an ocean rescue
lifeguard at Hilton Head Island
during the summers of high
school. During my senior year,
1983, I also attended Aiken
Tech at night to become an
Emergency Medical Techni
cian and then went back to
Hilton Head Island as a beach
patrolman and worked on
the HHI Rescue Ambulance
Service going up the ranks to
lieutenant. When I returned to
Augusta in 1990, I worked as
a campus police officer for the
CCBOE and as a reserve dep
uty with the Columbia County
Sheriff’s Office, eventually
becoming a sergeant with Co
lumbia County and the campus
police chief for the Columbia
County Board of Education.
I left law enforcement for a
while for private business but
returned working at the Talia
ferro County Sheriff’s Office
starting as a deputy and ending
as a lieutenant and then went
to the Richmond County Sher
iff’s Office as a lieutenant and
became a division commander
for the Special Operations
Division. In 2017,1 came with
Sheriff Williams as his chief
deputy and have served here
ever sense.
TC: What different areas
of law enforcement have you
worked in?
LB: Patrol, 911 Dispatch,
Campus Police, Community
Services, Special Operations,
Chief Deputy
Lewis Blanchard
Command Staff as well as
the East Central Traffic En
forcement Coordinator for the
Governor’s Office of Highway
Safety
TC: What’s your time here
been like?
LB: It has been great but as
with anything, there are ups
and downs. Some of the not so
great times have been getting
up out of bed at all hours of the
morning and night to go to a
shooting where in most cases a
young person has been injured
or killed and another young
person will end up in jail for the
rest of their life. We really need
to be doing every single thing
possible to work with parents,
the schools, recreations depart
ment, etc. to help ensure our
youth stay on the right track
and out of the gang life. As
for the good times, they were
plenty as this community has
been great to work with and
are very supportive of the many
initiatives we have started here
at the sheriff’s office.
TC: What changes are you
most proud of?
LB: We have helped bring
the agency forward leaps and
bounds in regards to training,
technology, equipment, pro
fessionalism, etc. all of which
are needed in order to properly
police in 2020. Additionally,
we have worked diligently to
Blanchard, present day
gain the trust of our community
through numerous events held
throughout the county each
and every week along with
complete transparency with
the media and social media.
Being able to decrease property
and violent crimes by over 50
percent through pro-active and
community policing shows
that it works and is in the best
interest of the citizens. I was
also proud to be a part of the
sheriff’s campaign where he
won with over 85 percent of the
votes because in all honesty,
15 percent of any group will
always disagree with you re
gardless of what you are doing.
TC: Have there ever been
difficult times where you found
yourself wanting to give up and
pursue a different career? How
did you get through them and
what kept you motivated to not
8 T„“ P k, see
LB: Not re-
ally. That being Q&A,
said, I feel for 6
Beginning At
Requ res FMtC Financing WAC
Stk #15729
Starting At
3 Beginning AT
Beginning At
fcflSJCfi
2 to choose from
0% THRU FMCC WAC. IN LIEU OF FORD REBATES.. PRICES .... DEALER RETAINS REBATE
Ask about Ford's Special Programs
1st Responders - Military
Medical Professionals
GA Farm Bureau
Supplier's X Plan
706-554-2114 www.mizellford.com Waynesboro, Ga.