Former captain takes aim at Tanner, files to run for sheriff of Beaufort County

Editor's Note: JoJo Woodward announced his bid for Beaufort County Sheriff via email nearly a week after this story was published. His quotes from the email have been added to this story.

For the first time in 16 years, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner will have opposition in this June's Republican primary.

Joey "JoJo" Woodward Jr., a former Sheriff's Office captain, filed on Wednesday to run against Tanner, according to the South Carolina Election Commission.

Tanner last had an opponent — Democrat Butch Polk — in 2002. Tanner was first elected sheriff in 1998.

Woodward resigned from his position as captain of the Sheriff's Office's Southern Enforcement Branch on Monday, according to Capt. Bob Bromage. Bromage has assumed Woodward's duties for the time being.

Woodward was born in Charleston and raised in Beaufort and Jasper counties, according to his page on the Sheriff's Office's website. He joined the Hilton Head Island Fire Department in 1984 and graduated from the South Carolina Fire Academy prior to beginning his law enforcement career in 1986 with the Sheriff's Office. He graduated from the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy in 1987.

Woodward then went on to work for the Hardeeville Police Department as a patrol/drug interdiction officer in 1991 before returning to the Sheriff's Office in 1992 to work in investigations and drug enforcement.

He was temporarily assigned to the DEA Beaufort Office from 2000 to 2001 and returned to the Sheriff's Office in 2005 to serve as commander of the Beaufort/Jasper multi-agency drug task force where he was promoted to lieutenant.

He was promoted to captain in 2013.

"I'm running because I have the experience and passion to restore public trust and confidence in the Sheriff's Office," Woodward wrote in an email. "My three decades of experience in law enforcement, many of those in command and leadership roles, have prepared me for this next step in public service."

He will run against Tanner in the June 12 primary prior to the Nov. 6 election.

When asked what it will be like to campaign for the first time in over a decade, Tanner said he looks forward to scheduling debates.

"I (campaign) every day," Tanner said. "That's part of my job. I've been campaigning, if you will, since 1994 when I first ran for sheriff. I've been involved in the campaign process since then." Tanner lost his initial bid for the office.

"It's been 16 years since anyone has even thought or indicated that they will run for sheriff," Tanner said. "This is a very important office, a very important race and it's very important to me. It's a great job. It's a great county. When I seek re-election, all I'm asking is to continue my service for the citizens of Beaufort County. It's my career.

"I don't know why JoJo is running. I'm sure it will come out in the next several weeks."

In the email announcing his bid, Woodward said he is running because he wants to "retool" the Sheriff's Office,

He plans to do so by bringing "a new focus on community policing, a new vision that proactively solves problems, new, fresh ideas and strategies to make our communities safer."

"I will rebuild the lines of communication and trust between the Sheriff's Office and others throughout our community, including the school board and other local agencies," Woodward wrote.

Four attempts to reach Woodward on the phone for further comment were not successful.

This story was originally published March 28, 2018 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Former captain takes aim at Tanner, files to run for sheriff of Beaufort County."