Greenwood County Sheriff's Office

09/01/2026

National Child Identity Theft Awareness Day

Imagine a child’s identity being stolen before they can even write their own name. National Child Identity Theft Awareness Day reminds parents and guardians that children can be vulnerable to identity theft because their personal information and credit histories often go unnoticed for years.

Identity thieves may use a child’s Social Security number to open accounts, obtain loans, or commit fraud—sometimes without being discovered until the child applies for a job, loan, or apartment.

Here are some simple ways to help protect your child’s identity:

Secure Personal Documents: Keep birth certificates, Social Security cards, and medical records in a secure location. Shred documents containing sensitive information before disposing of them.
Consider a Credit Freeze: A credit freeze can help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened using your child’s information. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for more information.
Teach Online Safety: Remind children not to share personal information such as their full name, address, school, or passwords online.
Monitor for Warning Signs: Watch for unexpected bills, credit offers, or other activity involving your child’s name.
Spread Awareness: Share information with family, friends, schools, and your community.

Protecting a child’s identity today can help protect their opportunities tomorrow. Take a few minutes to secure personal information, check for potential warning signs, and teach children how to stay safe online.


Greenwood School District 50 Greenwood County School District 52 (Ninety Six Schools) Ware Shoals School District 51

09/01/2026

Mathews Elementary School started the school year off with some excellent students who have demonstrated great leadership skills and a "Well Done" job as Deputy Tyler's bulldog deputies for the months of July and August. These are the following students who have shown great leadership skills and set an example for their fellow bulldogs to follow for the 2026-2027 school year.

Kindergartener Amarra Edwards saw and heard something from someone that was a safety concern and immediately reported it to an administrator and Deputy Tyler.
Fifth Graders Bailey Quarles and Wilson Daniels were at recess, and an incident happened with someone getting an injured. One child showed they were truly upset over the other one getting injured. They both handled the incident with respect for each other. Respect is one of Matthews Elementary's monthly words that each student was taught to show, and these two students demonstrated this very well.

Each one of the students was rewarded with a special treat provided by Chick-fil-A Greenwood (SC). Mathews Elementary Bulldogs and the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office would like to thank them for providing this special treat to be presented to these excellent students. Greenwood School District 50

08/29/2026

Sheriff Kelly and the entire Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Columbia Police Department, SC and to the family and friends of the fallen officer. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate this tragic and devastating loss.

08/25/2026

Last week, our SRO's, teachers, and staff practiced active shooter / active intruder drills. It is imperative to train together and be prepared should the unthinkable come. We are very grateful for wonderful teachers and staff who work closely with our deputies to ensure safety is the top priority! Greenwood School District 50

Law enforcement and District 50 staff drilled on handling a school shooter during an exercise Friday at Northside Middle School. Read more below.

08/11/2026

☀️ GREENWOOD COUNTY SAFETY ALERT: Extreme Heat & Triple-Digit Heat Indices This Week! ☀️The National Weather Service is forecasting dangerous mid-August heat and high humidity for the Upstate over the next several days. Air temperatures will stay in the mid-to-upper 90s, driving heat index values between 100°F and 105°F+ during the afternoon hours.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real dangers in these conditions. [Agency Name] wants to remind all Greenwood residents to take immediate precautions to protect yourselves, your families, and your pets:
💧 Hydrate Constantly: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Avoid sugary, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages.
🏠 Stay Cool: Limit outdoor activities to early morning or late evening. Stay in air-conditioned spaces whenever possible.
👥 Check on Others: Take a moment to check on elderly neighbors, children, and those who live alone or lack reliable air conditioning.
🐾 Protect Your Pets: Bring pets inside. Never leave a child or a pet in a parked vehicle—temperatures inside a car can reach fatal levels in just minutes!Know the signs of heat stroke (throbbing headache, no sweating, red/hot/dry skin, nausea, fainting). If you or someone nearby experiences these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
📞Stay safe, stay hydrated, and look out for one another, Greenwood!
💙👇 Sign up for emergency notifications by texting AlertGreenwoodSC to 65513 to get real-time safety updates straight to your phone.

08/06/2026

With the rain coming down outside, we wanted to share a reminder to drive safely and offer a few safe driving tips!

08/05/2026

This morning the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a subject with a weapon on Mays Elementary School property. Deputies responded along with Greenwood City Police Department to secure the school and search for the subject. After reviewing video it was determined that there never was a weapon and the person in question was holding a cell phone. We are thankful that this incident turned out to be a false alarm but want to assure the public that we will continue to respond appropriately to any perceived or reported threat to our schools. The Greenwood County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Greenwood Police Department and Greenwood School District 50 for their assistance in making sure the students, faculty, and staff remained safe.

08/05/2026

Attention!! We are seeking the public's help in identifying this person who is a person of interest in a criminal investigation. If you know this person, please call our dispatch center at (864) 942-8632 or you can reach us on Facebook messenger as well.

As always, we appreciate the public's help and understand that it is critical that we all work together to keep Greenwood County safe!

08/03/2026

UPDATE!! Teddy Harper has been located and is safe! We want to thank every single person who shared the posts, helped look for Teddy, and prayed for his safety. Also, we would like to thank all news and media outlets who shared this as well.

This morning, dispatch received a call from a citizen who believed they had spotted Teddy in southern central Greenwood County. Deputies quickly responded and located him.

This is a perfect example of how community involvement saves lives!

08/02/2026

Attention!!! Please be on the lookout for Teddy Harper, last seen Friday 7/31/2026 around 10am walking from Highland Forest Drive, wearing a blue collared shirt, green shorts and brown shoes. Has schizophrenia and early stages of dementia. Please share this post. Call 911 with any sightings or information.