James 'David' Belk
The Undersheriff reports directly to the Sheriff and is responsible for the oversight of day to day operations within the department. The Undersheriff acts for and on behalf of the Sheriff in his absence or whenever requested to do so. The Undersheriff supervises multiple divisions within the department through various supervisors and commanding officers. The Support Services Division falls under the direct supervision of the Undersheriff.
David was born and raised here in Lancaster County. He attended Lancaster High School where he graduated in 1979. David left Lancaster in 1980 and served in the US Army Military Police Corps.
*From December 1980 to December 1983 he worked as a Patrol Supervisor and Squad Leader for the 572nd Military Police Company at Ft. Ritchie, Maryland.
*From December 1983 to December 1986, he worked as a Patrol Supervisor, Squad Leader and Assistant Platoon Sergeant for the 287th Military Police Company in Berlin, Germany.
*From January 1987 to July, 1987, he served as Team Chief for the Military Police Investigations Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia.
*David returned home and from July 1987 to April 1997, he served the citizens of Lancaster County as a deputy with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. While here, he worked patrol until Sheriff Williford Faile tasked him to become Lancaster County’s first DARE Officer. He held that position and built the program to cover each elementary, middle and high schools. One of only three counties to ever have achieved that goal in South Carolina.
*David left in April 1997 and went to work with the SC Law Enforcement Division. He worked his way through the ranks until he eventually became the Lieutenant/Assistant Special Agent in Charge with SLED’s Special Victims Unit.
*During David’s 28 year law enforcement career, he has gained valuable experience in law enforcement administration that covers budgeting issues and grant management. His investigative skills concerning child death investigations helped propel him to the supervisory position he held at SLED as the Administrative Lt/Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Special Victim’s unit. This unit houses Child Death Investigations, Vulnerable Adult Death Investigations, Vulnerable Adult Abuse, Neglect/Exploitation Investigations and Victims Advocates. His success within the SVU had him pegged to eventually take the Special Agent In Charge position within that unit. Instead, David has decided to return to Lancaster County to serve as the Undersheriff for the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.