Pickens County Deputy Awarded Medal of Valor

The South Carolina Sheriff’s Association awarded the 2011 Medal of Valor to Lt. J.B. Kelley of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office last week for his successful resolution of two incidents involving armed subjects. 

As chief crisis negotiator for the Sheriff’s Office, Kelley has almost 15 years of experience in dealing with such tense, highly emotional and volatile situations, according to a statement.

On September 22, 2010, the Clemson Police Department received a report of an individual threatening to commit suicide. Kelley was successful in talking the individual out of the situation and retrieving the weapon he planned to use, officials said.

Two months later, Kelley successfully diffused a situation where a man was attempting to have police kill him during a standoff in Easley.

“During both these incidents, Lt. Kelley placed himself in harm’s way in an effort to save both the lives of the individuals who were creating the danger by their actions, and to prevent his fellow officers from having to confront potential harm," Sheriff C. David Stone said in a statement. "His willingness to risk his own safety for the people of Pickens County reflects the highest ideals of a law enforcement officer.”