Growing up in Greenville, Sharon Baldrick always followed the rules. When other children around her at school broke protocol, she got upset and wanted to set them straight. Watching “Silence of the Lambs” as a young adult, she was inspired by Jodie Foster’s role as protagonist Clarice Starling, a student at the FBI Academy with a dream of hunting down serial killers and apprehending them. As she was applying for her master’s program at Charleston Southern University, Baldrick even referenced Starling’s character in her letter of intent.
When Baldrick married her then-husband, his job brought them to Charleston. Baldrick enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom until her daughter started kindergarten. With spare time on her hands, she became a real estate assistant.
In 2003, Baldrick found work as a dispatcher with the Isle of Palms Police Department. “As soon as I started here, I fell in love with the department,” she said. “While watching and riding along with the officers, I realized that’s what I really wanted to do.”
In 2005, Baldrick was hired as an officer and attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia for a nine-week training program. There she learned practical tactics in defense, legal training, driving and shooting.
In the two decades working in the career she knew she was destined for, Baldrick’s expertise is in traffic safety, specifically DUI enforcement. The most rewarding part of the job, she said, is “Saving a life versus what could have been. I’ve had folks that I’ve encountered who have given me hugs in court. They told me I saved their lives and that they would never drink and drive again. It feels good to know I’ve not only saved, but changed someone’s life in a positive way.”
On the other hand, the most challenging aspect of her role is when “Folks aren’t stopped and do get hurt or injure others.
”In addition to traffic enforcement, Baldrick patrols the streets and neighborhoods to make sure residents and visitors stay safe. Danger is rare on the Isle of Palms, Baldrick said, citing that since the Isle of Palms was incorporated 72 years ago, there has only been one domestic-related homicide on the island. As a supervising patrol officer that day, Baldrick was the first on the scene. “It was intense,” she recalled. “And also rewarding to know we were preventing further violence from happening.”
For Baldrick, saving lives is more than a job; it’s her mission and passion. After listening to a speech delivered to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Network by the mother of Kasey LeeAnn Heger, a 3-year-old girl who was killed by an impaired driver in October 2007, Baldrick started serving on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s advisory board. On March 7, MADD rewarded Baldrick for her good work with a lifetime achievement award in enforcement at a ceremony in Columbia. Baldrick said the ballroom at the convention center was as full as she’d ever seen it. She was happy to see two of her colleagues, IOPPD Police Chief Kevin Cornett and traffic officer MPO Jarame Parker, in attendance to support her and to accept two other Isle of Palms Police Department awards.
“We are a tight-knit family,” Baldrick said of the team. “It sounds so cliche, but as we are such a small agency that’s true. Working together, we’ve had more ups than downs.”
The department is anticipating a busy spring break to kick off the season, Baldrick said. While reminding readers that this is the time of year to expect parking and traffic challenges on the island, she added, “This is not the place to drive while impaired. You will be caught and you will be prosecuted.”
To ensure the most enjoyable and memorable vacation, Baldrick suggested being considerate of other beachgoers by packing up everything that’s taken to the beach. Additionally, she said cigarettes, vaping and alcohol are not allowed on the beach or paths. Don’t blare the music because Isle of Palms has a 24-hour noise ordinance. “It’s pretty simple,” she concluded. “Just be a good human and live by the golden rule.”
By Sarah Rose
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