whoswho – Berkeley County Sheriff's Office

Who’s Who

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service agency dedicated to serving a growing population of more than 264,277 residents, with approximately 171,484 of those living in unincorporated areas who rely on the Sheriff’s Office as their primary law enforcement provider. The agency is currently staffed by 224 sworn deputies, with four additional deputy positions expected to be added in October 2025. There are 45 full-time civilian employees and two part-time civilian staff that are also employed at the Sheriff’s Office.

The Hill-Finklea Detention Center is staffed by 89 Detention Officers, four LE-1 certified officers, and nine civilians, ensuring the safe and secure detention of individuals in Berkeley County.

The Command Staff at the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office collectively holds decades of law enforcement experience, leading the agency in serving South Carolina’s third-largest county by land area—spanning 1,099 square miles. At its heart lies Lake Moultrie, covering 66,000 acres and ranking as the third-largest lake in the state.

Berkeley County continues to grow rapidly, and the Sheriff’s Office remains committed to adapting and expanding to meet the evolving needs of our community.

Sheriff S. Duane Lewis began his law enforcement career in 1984 as a Deputy Sheriff with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office. Lewis served as a Patrolman with the City of Charleston Police Department and obtained the rank of Investigator. He also served as Special Agent / Investigator with the INS Investigations Bureau, a National Arson Investigative Unit for the Insurance Industry. Lewis returned to his hometown, accepted a position with the Goose Creek Police Department, was later promoted to Detective Sergeant, and managed the Detective Division. In 1994, Lewis worked with the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) as a Special Agent in the Law Enforcement Division. He was later promoted to Major, then Deputy Chief, and was responsible for Criminal Investigations, Training and Development, Internal Investigations, and Federal Regulatory Regulations.

In 2015, he offered and was subsequently elected as the Sheriff of Berkeley County, South Carolina, in June 2015. He faced opposition in the 2015 Special Election and won by a majority vote. Sheriff Lewis is a graduate of Goose Creek High School. He has also achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Columbia College. He has received additional Academic Training in Criminal Justice and Fire Sciences. He graduated from the prestigious FBI Command College and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar.