Former MADD HERO Joins SC Staff
On March 1st, Chris Phillips, a recent retiree from the state law enforcement system, will join the MADD SC team as our first ever Coordinator of Volunteer Resources.
Chris has worked in a number of law enforcement capacities, including positions at the Kershaw County’s Sheriff’s Office, Midlands Tech, DHEC, DJJ, and the Attorney General’s Office. Early in his career, Chris was a trooper with the SC Highway Patrol and set his sights on achieving the MADD Top DUI Enforcement Officer award, though he was told it wasn’t realistic for a newer officer to win it. In 1997, Chris did earn that award, which he is very proud of. In addition to enforcing DUI laws, Chris has also responded to crashes and made that difficult knock at the front door to deliver tragic news.
Chris’ extensive experience working with volunteers came from his time with the SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) when he was hired to head up a new program to create a FDA inspectors unit that would carry out the FDA’s tobacco retailer enforcement activities. Chris hired, trained, and supervised a team of inspectors that consistently achieved enforcement numbers that were always among the nation’s highest of states with FDA programs. Half of in the inspections were “youth buys,” which involved sending underage youth in to stores to attempt to purchase tobacco products. Between the youth and other adult volunteers needed, Chris helped recruit, train, and manage about 350 volunteers in a three-year period.
“Chris’ time with DAODAS actually overlapped with my being based out of that agency, so I’ve had a chance to work alongside Chris before and to be impressed by how he got things done,” said MADD SC Executive Director Steven Burritt. “We are excited to bring Chris’ experience with volunteers and passion for our mission to our work. The Coordinator of Volunteer Resources position, funded by our Victims Of Crime Act grant from the Attorney General’s Office, will be a massive benefit to our volunteer program with renewed focus on the best ways to recruit, train, manage, and recognize volunteers, especially in the area of Victim Services. I can envision a bigger, more active, and more connected volunteer family in the near future.”
Chris lives in Elgin with his wife and two daughters.