DEPUTY BRANDON BRAXTON

Trainer

In 2009 Brandon was hired by Sheriff Randy Garrett of the Clarendon County Sheriff’s office, where he attended the South Carolina criminal justice academy. Upon graduation, Brandon started his career on uniformed patrol. Once on patrol, Brandon found his passion, which was pursuing the drug trade. For the next 3 years, he pursued local drug dealers and users.

In 2013 Deputy Braxton was placed on the ICE Team (Interstate Criminal Enforcement) by Sheriff Garrett. He worked alongside Toby Bellamy, an experienced criminal interdiction officer and K9 handler. On Interstate 95 during 2013 he apprehended major criminals, from drug cartel drug/money smugglers to international fugitives. Brandon seized over 100,000 dollars in illegal drug currency and over 100 pounds of narcotics, as well as discovered hidden compartments inside motor vehicles which were used to smuggle contraband.

Deputy Braxton was named National Highway Interdiction Officer of the Year for 2013 by the 420 Group. Brandon was also placed on the task force with the Department of Homeland Security, which gave him an extra tool to use to take down major organized crime as it traveled through Clarendon County.

Brandon was approached by Sheriff Garrett in 2013 and received another tool to use to fight crime: the county’s first dual purpose tracking/narcotic detection K9 from Jeff Schettler at GAK9, K9 Ruin!!

Deputy Braxton officially partnered K9 Ruin in late 2013 and quickly got to work. The team quickly made a name for themselves tracking down major criminals alongside the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office tactical tracker team. K9 Ruin had apprehended 21 out of 23 suspects by March 2015. K9 Ruin also alerted to thousands of dollars of illegal drug currency and had several successful drug finds working the 30 plus miles of interstate that Brandon and Ruin patrolled daily from 2013 to 2014.