Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008

Rantin: ‘He sets a superb example’

Banquet honors Lexington lieutenant as state’s Deputy of the Year

John E. “J.J.” Jones’ path to a career in law enforcement was anything but scripted.

It was a college roommate who convinced him to tag along for a reserve officer recruitment meeting for the University of South Carolina Police Department.

“I had taken a few criminal -justice classes, but I was a history major,” Jones said. “I never planned to do it for a living.”

But after he went through the reserve officer training and got into a foot chase his first day on the job, those plans quickly changed.

“From Day One, I was hooked. Since then, I have been eating, breathing and sleeping law enforcement.”

A dozen years after that eventful chase, Jones is still making an impact on the profession.

The Lexington County Sheriff’s lieutenant recently was named Deputy of the Year for 2008 by the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. He was formally honored during an evening banquet last week as part of the association’s summer training conference in Myrtle Beach.

The 34-year-old Gilbert resident is assistant commander of the Region II Patrol District based in Pelion. Since joining the Sheriff’s Department in 1997 — after serving a year full-time with the USC police force — Jones has worked in the warrants division, as a resident deputy and as a narcotics agent.

“Throughout his career, J.J. has demonstrated deep and genuine concern for his fellow officers, intense loyalty to his chain of command and a strong devotion to duty as a law enforcement officer,” said Lexington Sheriff James Metts, who introduced Jones as the statewide Deputy of the Year.

Jones has compiled a list of numerous accolades since coming to the force. One of the most notable was in January 2007, when he successfully removed from harm another officer who had been shot during a domestic-violence incident.

Later that year, he served as the incident commander during a standoff with a man who was barricaded in his vehicle on Interstate 26. During the standoff, Jones directed the response of deputies from several other law enforcement agencies in the area.

“J.J. has demonstrated remarkable leadership qualities,” Metts said. “He sets a superb example for the officers who are under his command.”

Jones downplays his own contributions but credits the leadership of Metts and his captain, Mark Jones, (no relation) as well as the support of the other deputies on the force, for his success. He said his love of his community is what continues to make his job worthwhile.

“The simple fact is if I can help one kid through a problem, or one resident, it makes it worth it every day.”

Jones is married to Laura Jones, and the two have a son, Jacob, who turns 2 in October.

His parents, Johnny and Jean Jones, live in Bamberg.

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Lexington County firefighters will hit the streets today to “Fill the Boot” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

The firefighters will be at major intersections with their boots so that motorists can donate change to help them in their support of the MDA. Last year, firefighters raised more than $7,000 for area children and adults battling neuromuscular disorders.

MDA programs are funded almost entirely by private contributions and are offered to those served by the MDA at no charge. For more information about the MDA, call (803) 799-7435, or visit www.MDA.org.