Veteran lawman honored

Sergeant Art Taylor, a 27 year veteran of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, was selected and presented the 2019 Billy Wilkins Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement. The award was given during a ceremony Wednesday at the Pickens County Courthouse. The purpose, aside from honoring those who exhibit excellence in the performance of their duties, is to perpetuate the vision of the Honorable Billy Wilkins, for whom the award is named. While serving in the role of Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor in the 1970’s, Judge Wilkins pioneered an innovative approach to policing; one where law enforcement and the solicitor’s office work hand-in-hand to ensure that criminal investigations are successfully prosecuted. Through his career, Sergeant Taylor has embraced the practice, of routinely consulting, collaborating with, and seeking direction from the solicitor’s office long before the cases have been forwarded for prosecution. Taylor’s application of Judge Wilkins’ vision paved the way for successful prosecutions on some of the most heinous Pickens County crimes. Taylor occupies a position on the “homicide team”, a unit that is essentially on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no additional compensation to be a member of this team and the hours are unpredictable