Life’s lessons helped form Ken Washington’s career

Ken Washington, 27 years in law enforcement, captains special operations in the Oconee Sheriff’s Office.  He’s in a supervisory role these days and is able to pass to younger officers what he learned starting so many years ago when the country entered the crack cocaine pandemic in the 1990s.  In his earliest career days, Washington worked undercover not only in Oconee County but for other agencies, as well, in places like Richland and Horry counties.  The sheriff’s office is highlighting one of its more valuable officers.  He grew up in Seneca’s projects and faced some of the avenues that take young people on a wrong path.  He was able to resist the come-ons from people he knew as a kid who wanted him to sell drugs.  Instead Washington kept in mind his mom and how, by herself, she reared nine children.  Washington also credits three former, well known faculty members at Seneca High School for keeping him accountable:  a teacher by the name of Nan Jones and two football coaches—Tom Bass and Dedo Crawford.