(This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights Columbia Police Department Logistics Officer and Emergency Management Officer Steven Palmer.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born in Boynton Beach, Fla., Feb. 3, 1985.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I graduated from Columbia High School. I went to several schools in Georgia before I moved to Columbia for my freshman year.
Q: What was your childhood like?
A: I had a close-knit family and spent a lot of time with family and friends. My parents were always there, and everybody was pretty close.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I’m the logistics officer and emergency management officer for the Columbia Police Department. On the emergency management side of things, for example, we had this storm (Tropical Storm Gordon) that luckily missed us, but I helped prepare and organize for that whether it was the manpower, vehicles, tools or anything like that. I developed the plans for our response to that. The logistics side of things, which is more of my day-to-day, I will assist on patrol when needed, order vehicles and equipment, securing things like our Hummer project and helping to get donations, and I’m over the dispatch center. I dispatched for several years, and I left as the supervisor to come over to the patrol side, but I’m still over the dispatch center. I go through the hiring process and make sure everything is working like it should over there. Basically if there’s a hole that needs to be filled, I fill it.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: Ever since I was a small child, I always wanted to be in law enforcement. I grew up watching “Rescue 911,” “Cops,” “America’s Most Wanted” and things like that. For some reason it always stuck. As I got older I realized there was more than just law enforcement. You’ve got fire, EMS, search and rescue and other parts of emergency services, and I fell in love with all of it.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Honestly I just like helping people. I moved here in 1999, and I consider this to be where I matured, grew up and became an adult. I fell in love with the community and just want to see this place grow to be a place where my kids and other kids can grow up in a safe place.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
A: There’s so many challenges, but the most challenging part is there’s so many moving parts to keep the city safe. It’s a nonstop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year job. It’s a lot to keep up with.
Q: What advice would you give someone considering your career path?
A: Make sure that’s it’s in your heart. If it’s not it’s not going to be worth your time, and you’re not going to do your job to the best of your ability and serve the people like you should. If it’s in heart, get as much bit of education in your field that you can.
Q: What was your first job?
A: My dad had a friend who owned an appliance store in Georgia, and I repaired little kids’ power wheels cars every day after school.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: There’s so many. All the people that were here when I first started that were in law enforcement and just everybody I come in contact with I gain some sort of knowledge or something out of everybody.
Q: Do you have children?
A: I have a 7-year-old son, Caden.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: Hot wings from anywhere, as long as they’re good.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Washington D.C. to visit the National Law Enforcement Museum they’ve been working on for like the past 20 years. I’m not sure that it’s opened yet, but it should open this year or next. I went to D.C. one time before when I was little, but I was too young to appreciate it.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: Just about anything outdoors and hanging out with my son when I have him. If he wants to go to the movies or to eat somewhere or play in the park, we just go and do what he wants to do.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia and Marion County?
A: This area has a great group of citizens, both in the city and in the county. For the most part they’re very supportive of law enforcement, the fire departments and the city and county government. It makes me appreciate it more when I know they appreciate it. Every day somebody comes up to either me or one of the other officers to say they appreciate what we do, and that little bit means a lot.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: President Donald Trump. I’d want to talk to him about funding for all emergency services in general. That’s our biggest crisis — money. Everybody needs money from teachers to farmers, but in my opinion if you don’t have law and order, medical professionals or fire departments then you don’t have anything.
Q: If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you do all day?
A: If I didn’t have to worry about money, I’d still be doing this right now.
Q: Would you rather read a good book or watch a good movie?
A: I’d read a good book. I’m real picky with my books.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on who you are today?
A: When my son was born. It doesn’t matter how old you are, at that point it’s time to grow up, mature and become a dad. It had a big impact on me and still does.
Q: What would be the No. 1 thing on your Bucket List?
A: I want to go skydiving.
Q: If you could describe your morals in three words, what would they be?
A: Integrity, honesty and professionalism.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: Just as somebody who always helped somebody in need, and it didn’t matter who they were or what their situation was.
Pictured Above: Columbia Police’s Steven Palmer said he has wanted to work in law enforcement since he can remember. “Ever since I was a small child, I always wanted to be in law enforcement,” he said. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
