DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — Sam Richardson was sworn in as Dorchester County’s first new sheriff in 16 years and the state’s first Black Republican sheriff in modern history.

On Tuesday, spectators, law enforcement and local government officials gathered at the foot of the Dorchester County Courthouse for the ceremony at noon.

Richardson previously served as the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy and has over 30 years of law enforcement experience in the community.

He said he intends on increasing street patrols and the department’s equipment resources. “We're evaluating our organizational structure and collaborating with County Council to prioritize the needs of the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office,” the new sheriff wrote in a post to Facebook.

In the November general election, Richardson scored over 63% of the vote. That’s 47,916 votes over his opponent, Charles Frederick’s, who received 27,751 votes. 

Richardson replaces Sheriff L.C. Knight who decided not to run for reelection after 16 years as sheriff.