York County sheriff is named SC Sheriff of the Year

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The sheriff in York County has been named the 2019 Sheriff of the Year in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Sheriffs' Association plans to honor Sheriff Kevin Tolson at the group's annual conference in July in Myrtle Beach.

Three of the state's 46 sheriffs nominated Tolson. They praised him for his work in bringing treatment into the punishment for drug crimes.

They also praised Tolson for his leadership after four of his officers were ambushed in a January 2018 shooting. Detective Micheal Doty was killed in the ambush.

[Thousands gather to honor slain York County Det. Mike Doty]

A statement from the Sheriffs' Association says Tolson's dedication to Doty's family and the families of the officers injured that day are an inspiration to all law enforcement officers.