Sheriff Simmons began his career with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office 29 years earlier as a dispatcher. He worked his way through the Sheriff's Office ranks, holding a number of supervisory and leadership positions, including that of Chief Deputy.

    As second in command to retired Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown, Sam was responsible for the day to day operations of the office. He also spent many hours in the classroom, teaching a variety of topics relating to law enforcement operations.

    When Sheriff Brown made his decision to retire, Sam began his quest to become the county’s top law enforcement officer. In November of 2000, he was elected Sheriff of Greenville County, and took the oath of office on January 2, 2001.

    Sheriff Simmons is survived by his wife Mona, his son Jon, and his daughter, Connie.

    He was taken from us swiftly, but his memory lives on. His legacy of professional law enforcement and integrity will never be forgotten.