COLUMBIA, S.C. — In a state where eight county sheriffs have been convicted of crimes in office over the past decade, South Carolina lawmakers want to tighten the qualifications to be a top law enforcement official.
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The proposal would bar someone from running for sheriff in any of the state's 46 counties if the person has been convicted, pleaded guilty to, or been pardoned of a felony or "a crime of moral turpitude" in South Carolina or any other state.
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There was already a law in place to keep most felons from getting the sheriff's badge. Sheriffs must be certified law officers, and a felony conviction usually means the end of an officer's certification.
Supporters of the bill say it closes a loophole by including anyone pardoned of a felony.
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