By Betsy Finklea
The opportunity to protect and serve the public is why John Pettiford enjoys being a City of Dillon police officer.
Pettiford, age 22, graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy on December 22, 2016.
Pettiford was hired on March 28, 2016 and has worked under former chief, Joe Rogers, and current chief, David Lane.
Pettiford said the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy was a learning experience and was both challenging and exciting. While at the academy, he voluntarily participated in the three-mile challenge run, which was not an easy task.
As a small child, Pettiford always wanted to be a law enforcement officer. He hopes to be able to make a small difference in someone’s life.
Pettiford especially enjoys the service part of being a police officer. He likes interacting with the public and being there when somebody really needs him. He said often when an officer goes on a call that person needs help and has no one else to call. He likes protecting those who cannot protect themselves.