Hill hopes to take sheriff's post from Malone

WALTERBORO — Colleton County Sheriff George A. Malone will face off against a former member of his command staff in the Nov. 4 sheriff's election.

Guerry L. "Buddy" Hill Jr. resigned from the Sheriff's Office as a captain in January to run for the office. Hill, a Republican, said it's nothing personal, but he believes he would be more accessible than his former boss.

"I just feel my management style would be better for the Sheriff's Office: hands-on, everybody works. Do as I do, not as I say," Hill said.

Malone, a Democrat who became the first black sheriff elected in Colleton County four years ago, said his management style is the same as Hill's but demands of the office don't always allow for it.

"If he gets elected, he'll learn that you're not allowed the time or freedom to get involved in the field issues like he might want to," Malone said of Hill.

Malone has been working in law enforcement for 40 years, since becoming the first black deputy in the county in 1968. Hill has been in law enforcement for 21 years, including 19 years at the Colleton County Sheriff's Office. He spent two years as chief of Walterboro police. Both men say their main objective is making the county a safer place by getting more officers on the streets and continuing the gang crackdown.

Hill said he plans to look for alternative funding to put more deputies on the streets. He also would use strategic planning to put the existing resources to better uses.

Malone said he's done as good a job as possible with the resources available. He pointed out that his office was one of the first in the Lowcountry to recognize it had a gang problem and to tackle the issue head-on.

GUERRY L. "BUDDY" HILL JR.

PARTY: Republican

DATE OF BIRTH: Jan. 19, 1961

FAMILY: Wife Becky. Two children.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Walterboro High School in 1979.

OCCUPATION: Plantation manager. Resigned as captain from Colleton County Sheriff's Office in January 2008.

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE: None.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: I love to bake. Anything. I just love to bake. When we go to functions and bring baked goods, people tell Becky how good they are, but she didn't bake them. I did.

NAME A SPECIFIC GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IF ELECTED: The main one I hope to accomplish is to reinforce the public's confidence in our sheriff's office.

GEORGE A. MALONE

PARTY: Democratic (I)

DATE OF BIRTH: Sept. 25, 1944

FAMILY: Wife Pamela. Three children, one deceased.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Ruffin High School in 1962. Attended Voorhees Junior College for two years.

OCCUPATION: Colleton County Sheriff.

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE: Sheriff since 2004.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: I'm just an everyday guy. I'm just one of the citizens of Colleton County who happens to be holding this office.

NAME A SPECIFIC GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IF RE-ELECTED: Bring citizens and law enforcement closer together.