President's Message
What a great honor and privilege to be stepping into the role of President for the SC Sheriff's Association for this next year. Let's pause for a moment and thank Sheriff Tim Baxley for his leadership of our association over this past year as our president. He truly has done a great job and represented us very well. Tonight, it is a tremendous honor to have been sworn into office by my friend and fellow Sheriff Phillip Thompson from Horry County. He has been a beacon of light for many Sheriffs across our state. He has been a great mentor and friend to me over the past fifteen years. Sheriff Thompson and many of our senior Sheriffs, such as Sheriff Lott, Sheriff Foster, Sheriff Faile, and Sheriff Tanner, bring a ton of knowledge, expertise, and wisdom that many of our younger sheriffs in our association should take advantage of to help them grow and develop into better sheriffs.
Many of my fellow Sheriffs have asked me why I have a desire to serve as the President of our wonderful association again, as I previously served on the board and was President from July 2018 until July 2019. My answer was very clear. I truly love the SC Sheriffs' Association, and I see our potential to do so much more. I believe we can do even more and greater things to enhance the Office of the Sheriff and to further develop our association. I have been a part of many wonderful changes over the past decade within our association. We have a great Executive Director in Sally Foster, and working alongside her, the rest of the staff and our current board of directors, we can continue to enhance and make the SC Sheriffs' Association even greater than what any of us has experienced.
I had no clue until a few years ago, in 2022, when I was elected to the Sergeant at Arms position and was having a conversation with Sheriff Tanner from Beaufort County, who shared with me that I would be making history, that no other sheriff has been the president more than once in our association. That was news to me, but again, what an honor to serve my fellow sheriffs in this capacity as President of our association, not once but now twice. Over this next year, I hope we can work together, because our voice is strong when we stay united. As President, I want to work with our entire board and all Sheriffs, along with our wonderful association staff, in getting much needed legislation passed through at the statehouse, increasing death benefits for officers who give the ultimate sacrifice and continuing to grow our corporate sponsors and increase our overall membership from citizens who support law enforcement across South Carolina.
I want to encourage every Sheriff in the room and everyone in attendance at tonight's award ceremony that every day we experience 4 O's when we face decisions as leaders: Opportunity, Opposition, Obedience, and Outcome. When we truly understand these four Os, we can lead courageously, despite the circumstances. As our guest speaker reminded us in his speech "To Finish Strong" in whatever we are ordained to be doing. We must understand that God orchestrates and provides all our Opportunities. Opposition will always come after opportunities, so we must be prepared. Then Obedience is simply saying, Yes, God, use me how you see fit and for your purpose and glory. Lastly, the Outcomes are God's part and not ours. We must trust the Lord for the outcomes so we can then celebrate the outcome, no matter what.
I am looking forward to this next year serving as the SC Sheriffs' Association President alongside my fellow board members. Thank you for this opportunity to serve, and may God continue to bless all of us and the great state of South Carolina as we serve our citizens in our respective counties. May he keep us and all of our men and women safe as they serve.
Sheriff Steve Mueller
Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
SC Sheriffs' Association 2025-2026 President
