Darlington mourns passing of Chief Deputy Clifton Howle
DCSO Chief Deputy Clifton J. Howle.
The Darlington County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Michael August announced with profound sorrow the passing of Chief Deputy Clifton J. Howle, a respected leader whose three-decade career in service to South Carolina was matched only by the warmth he showed to everyone he met.
“Chief Howle was a good man, with a kind heart,” the Sheriff’s Office said in its announcement. Colleagues describe a man who led with compassion, who treated every person with dignity and respect, and who had a rare gift for lifting the spirits of those around him. His sincerity was unmistakable, his warmth was constant, and his smile was often the first thing people remembered about him.
“He was more than a colleague and a leader,” the department said. “He was someone we cared about deeply.”
Howle’s journey in law enforcement began in 1993 with the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. Over the next three decades, he earned the trust of his peers and steadily rose through the ranks, advancing from Agent in Charge to Assistant Deputy Director for Field Operations, a position of significant responsibility overseeing the agency’s work across the state.
After retiring from the department in 2022, Howle did not step away from public life. He answered the call once more, serving as Municipal Judge for the towns of McBee and Jefferson, where he brought the same fairness, steadiness, and humanity that had defined his career.
In 2025, Howle joined Sheriff August’s administration as Chief Deputy, taking on a leadership role at the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office. In that time, he became a trusted presence within the department and a respected voice in the community it serves.
Howle’s passing leaves a void that will be felt throughout the Sheriff’s Office, among his many friends across the state, and, most deeply, within his family.
“It was truly an honor to have worked alongside him,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.”
Those who knew Chief Howle recall not only the titles he held, but the way he carried them: with humility, with kindness, and with an unwavering commitment to doing right by others. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the colleagues he mentored, and the communities he served for more than thirty years.
The Sheriff’s Office asks the community to keep the Howle family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Funeral and memorial arrangements will be announced once they have been finalized by the family.