Dorchester County’s new sheriff has been sworn into office. Sam Richardson, who previously served as chief deputy at the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, took his oath of office during a noon ceremony at the county’s courthouse in St.

Dorchester County Sheriff Sam Richardson was briefed on the investigation of a K-9 death in late July and the decision not to prosecute the deputy involved.

Sam Richardson, who served as chief deputy at the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, took his oath of office during a noon ceremony at the county’s courthouse in St. George. He is the first Black Republican sheriff in South Carolina history.

Charges will not be filed against the handler of a K-9 who was found dead in a Dorchester County Sheriff's Office vehicle.

State agents have completed their investigation into the death of a Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office K9 who was found dead in their handler’s vehicle over the summer. According to newly sworn-in Dorchester County Sheriff Sam Richardson,

The Dorchester County Sheriff requested a formal briefing on Wednesday regarding the conclusion of the investigation into the death of K-9 Orser.

Richardson has worked at the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office for 21 years and has been chief deputy since 2009. He spent 12 years working as the chief investigator at the First Circuit Solicitor's Office and served for 30 years in the military, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.