Barbara Walters

Appointment

Barbara Walters was promoted to Acting Sheriff by Governor Mark Sanford after the death of Sheriff Larry Williams. With Sheriff Walters’ appointment, she became the first woman to ever hold the office of Sheriff in Orangeburg County and the third woman to hold an interim Sheriff position in the state of South Carolina.

Career

Sheriff Walters began her career in law enforcement in 1985 as a uniform deputy of the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office. During her extensive career, she has worked in investigations on homicide, narcotics, sexual assault, and child abuse cases.

Walters was the first woman in South Carolina to be certified as a Crisis Negotiator by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. She also earned the designation of an Expert Witness and was promoted to Sergeant of the Investigative Division.

She rose through the ranks and was promoted Chief Deputy in 2001.