There is a lot more to the operations of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office than meets the eye, according to Lt. Kelly Cox.

In fact, more than 100 staff members comprise the various divisions, which include criminal investigations, narcotics unit, patrol deputies, school resource officers, bailiffs, detention officers, telecommunications, office staff, command staff and Sheriff Ernie Coleman himself.

“When most people think of the sheriff’s office, they think primarily of the black and gold patrol cars that are the moving billboards of the office,” said Cox, who heads the patrol division. “But really we’re just a small piece of the puzzle when you look at all the divisions as a whole. There are a lot of moving parts with the sheriff’s office, and it’s always changing.”

Each and every employee is a vital part of the success of the sheriff’s office, Cox noted.

“It takes a lot of work to keep an operation of this size constantly going, by both sworn and non-sworn personnel,” he said. “The sheriff’s office is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’re always open.”