Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott gets another honor at Fort Jackson

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has received a permanent name-recognition brick at Fort Jackson’s developing Centennial Park in Columbia. The honor adds to a growing list of military and law-enforcement recognitions tied to Lott, who has led the sheriff’s office since 1997.

Why it matters: - The brick gives Leon Lott a permanent place in Centennial Park, a major Fort Jackson project billed as the “Gateway to the Army.” - The honor adds to Lott’s profile across South Carolina law enforcement and military circles. - Fort Jackson is the largest U.S. Army basic training facility in the nation.

What happened: - Fort Jackson installed a brick bearing Lott’s name and law-enforcement title directly below the large flagpole in Centennial Park. - The brick sits in the expanding courtyard across from the Fort Jackson museum. - The recognition was reported on Aug. 10, 2026. - Lott is the Richland County sheriff and a South Carolina Military Veterans Hall of Fame inductee from the Class of 2025.

The details: - Centennial Park is still under development. - The planned park features a soldiers’ statue, a spacious amphitheater, sheltered pavilions for visiting families and a “pathway of patriots.” - The pathway will connect historic and militarily significant points of focus throughout the park. - Lott was inducted into the Fort Jackson Hall of Fame in 2018. - Lott was named National Sheriff of the Year in 2021 by the National Sheriff’s Association. - Lott has been named South Carolina Sheriff of the Year twice. - Lott has served as sheriff of Richland County since 1997. - Lott became commanding general of the South Carolina State Guard in 2018. - Lott has served as president of the Fort Jackson-Palmetto State Chapter of the Association of the United States Army since at least 2020. - In early 2025, a separate brick with Lott’s name and rank was installed at the South Carolina Military Museum. - Lott traveled to Erbil, Iraq, in 2010 at the invitation of the Iraqi government to help establish the country’s first female police academy. - The Richland County Sheriff’s Department maintains an officer exchange program with Iraq and relationships with other foreign law enforcement agencies and U.S. military forces in the United States.

Between the lines: - The repeated honors suggest Lott has built an unusually broad public role that spans local policing, military support and civic-military partnerships. - The Fort Jackson recognition also reinforces Centennial Park as a space designed to link the installation’s history with public visitation and ceremonial use.

What’s next: - Centennial Park will continue to develop into a finished public landmark at Fort Jackson. - The park’s planned features will likely expand the number of visitors and events centered on the site. - More information about Centennial Park is available in the project website.