Dorchester County

The Planning and Zoning Department oversees the Zoning & Land Development Standards to preserve the highest quality of life for Dorchester County residents.

Staff is responsible for:

• Administering the zoning ordinances
• Assisting with the permit process
• Staffing the Board of Zoning Appeals
• Staffing the Planning Commission
• Reviewing tree removal permits.
• Overseeing the Comprehensive Plan
• Insuring proper zoning of property
• Zoning Verification Letter Requests email to: DCGPlanning@dorchestercountysc.gov
  ** Zoning letter requests are not same day please allow 10 to 15 business days for your request.

Sheriff L.C. Knight

Misson Statement

It is the mission of the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office to improve the quality of life by providing a safe environment for all people within our county.

This is done by collaborative efforts of the Sheriff’s office and the community. We will maintain a high standard of professional accountability to our citizens, always being mindful to be fiscally responsible. We will serve all people of Dorchester County with dignity, respect, fairness, and compassion.

Our agency has the responsibility to serve our citizens by enforcing federal state and local laws while holding ourselves to the highest standards of performance and ethics. Our agency will serve the citizens, placing a strong emphasis on customer service, effective enforcement strategies, and problem-solving. We are dedicated to the protection of life, property, the constitution of this State and the constitution of the United States of America.

Accreditation

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be recognized as a South Carolina Law Enforcement Accredited Agency. South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation (SCLEA) is the official South Carolina state accrediting authority for law enforcement agencies. SCLEA is an initiative of the S.C. Police Chiefs’ Association and S.C. Sheriffs’ Association. The program requires agencies seeking accreditation to meet 243 law enforcement related standards.

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office initially received accreditation through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation program in 2016 and has been reaccredited twice, most recently in 2022.

Community Engagement

Sheriff L.C. Knight believes it is important to have open lines of communication with the communities we serve.

The Neighborhood Watch program is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country. It maintains a critical two-way dialogue between citizens and law enforcement to deter crime and make communities safer.

If you are interested in starting a neighborhood watch program, or if you would like to request the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office presence at a Crime Watch Meeting please contact:

Lieutenant Joli Tumbleston, Community Engagement Division, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office

Mailing Address: 212 Deming Way, Box 9, Summerville, SC 29483

Phone: 843-832-0300 (Office)

Email: JTumbleston@dorchestercountysc.gov

Media & Public Records Requests

All media requests intended for the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office should be sent directly to Lieutenant Rick Carson.

Contact:

Lieutenant Rick Carson, Public Information Officer, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office

Mailing Address: 212 Deming Way, Box 9, Summerville, SC 29483

Phone: 843-832-0300 (Office)

Email: RCarson@dorchestercountysc.gov

All record requests and those concerning Freedom of Information, Rule 5, and subpoenas should be directed to our online records request portal.