Eliopoulos first female Police Chief in Anderson County

By David Meade
The Town of West Pelzer officially has a new police chief. The appointment is a first for Anderson County and possibly for South Carolina. Alexis Eliopoulos was sworn in as West Pelzer Chief of Police during a ceremony held Tuesday. Mayor Blake Sanders said he believes Eliopoulos is the first female police chief in Anderson County, and as far as they can tell, is the youngest in South Carolina history.  West Pelzer Municipal Court Presiding Judge Mary Francis Cole administered the oath of office. Retired Anderson City Police Sergeant Steve Ashley placed pins on Eliopoulos, Mayor Sanders placed the chief’s badge.
The standing room only crowd attending the ceremony included Tenth Circuit Solicitor David Wagner, Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride, Williamston Police Chief Tony Taylor and others representing the law enforcement and emergency service community.
Chief Eliopoulos began her public safety career in the City of Anderson where she served as a Corporal on the DUI Task Force and Street Crimes Units. She then served in local municipal departments before electing to serve as a Sergeant for the Clemson University Police Department, working with a diverse population responding to calls for service, crime investigation, and protection of people and property.
Since joining the West Pelzer Police Department in 2017, Eliopoulos has focused on answering calls for service, crime investigating, traffic enforcement, as well as leading the training for all full and part-time officers.
Chief Eliopoulos earned Police Officer of the Year for the City of Anderson in 2008 and was the 2009-2011 DUI Enforcement Hero Award recipient from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Chief Eliopoulos plans to continue to be an active Chief in patrol and  investigations but is passionate about building trust between the community and the surrounding public safety agencies through an enriched community engagement.
“We are excited about a different outcome for West Pelzer,” Mayor Sanders said. “We will continue to focus on  traffic and crime, but will have the same mission and vision as Anderson County, which is community relations through community policing. We have a police chief who is willing to go to the schools, partner with fire and EMS and help change the perception of policing in small towns.”