Sheriff Leon Lott again makes Post & Courier’s POWER LIST for Columbia

Thirty influential leaders recognized as “movers and shakers” for 2024

By W. Thomas Smith Jr.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott landed a lofty 3rd PLACE in the Post & Courier’s annual 30-person POWER LIST for Columbia, South Carolina, published Wednesday, Dec. 18.

First place honors went to University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis, and Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann came in second. Gamecock Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley also made the cut at 4th place, and Gamecock Head Football Coach Shane Beamer came in at a close 5th.

According to the Power ranking: “Lott just won his eighth term as sheriff of Richland County, the second most populous in the state, with an estimated 425,000 residents. Lott, 71, leads an agency that has around 900 personnel and an annual budget of $48 million. He has said his main priority is to reduce gun violence in the Columbia area, especially among juveniles. Lott was named Sheriff of the Year in 2021 by both the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association and the National Sheriffs’ Association. He currently also serves as commander of the South Carolina State Guard.”

See full list and story at HERE.