Hampton County sheriff honors deputies

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Deputy Chris Patterson, Sheriff's Award

Cpl. Craig Smith, Hampton County Deputy of the Year

HAMPTON COUNTY, SC (WTOC) - Sheriff T.C. Smalls recognized two deputies Monday afternoon for their outstanding service to Hampton County.

Deputy Chris Patterson received the Sheriff's Award for outstanding professionalism, dedidcation, support and outstanding achievement in the field of law enforcement.

Cpl. Craig Smith received Deputy of the Year, which is awarded based on votes from peers.

Patterson has been with the Hampton County Sheriff's Office for over a ywar and has six years of law enforcement experience. His previous position was held with the Yemassee Police Department.

"It's an honor to be appreciated for all the hard work in the community," Patterson said in a news release.

Sheriff Smalls stated he selected Patterson for a number of reasons, including his desire to make each day better than the day before.

"Deputy Patterson is very aware of his work and the things he does for his department," Smalls said in a news release. "He is a perfectionist who wants to do better on the job today than he did yesterday. He is very concerned about the welfare of Hampton County's citizens and what he can do to help them."

Smith has been with the Hampton County Sheriff's Office for two years and has seven years of law enforcement experience. Before serving Hampton County, Smith was part of the Estill Police Department and the Fairfax Police Department.

"I was overwhelmed to be able to receive this award," Smith said in a news release. "It felt good to know that my fellow officers selected me for this honor."

Smalls said he was pleased to present the award to Smith.

"He does a good job and takes pride in what he does," Smalls said. "He is not only concerned with how many calls he answers or how many tickets are written, he cares about the people he serves."