Breaking barriers and being “the first” were never priorities for Colonel Anna Amos. She focused on being a dedicated public servant and mother, and the rest fell into place.
But on Wednesday, October 30, 10 years to the day after her death, the first woman to lead a statewide law enforcement agency in South Carolina and the first Black commander in the Department of Public Safety accomplished another milestone: The first State Transport Police officer inducted into the Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.
“I think our mom would be so proud that she continues to be a trailblazer and also an example for other women in law enforcement,” D’Ann Amos said after the ceremony. “STP was like her other baby. She took great pride in putting that uniform on every day. She loved her cowboy boots, making sure her uniform was pressed and clean, and being that example to other officers.”
Along with being the first STP officer inducted into the Hall of Fame, Amos also is the first woman nominated for induction by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, which submits a nominee each year along with several other law enforcement agencies and organizations.
“She was a force to be reckoned with,” said STP Colonel Dwayne Wilson, who presented Amos’ nomination during Wednesday’s ceremony. “I don’t think it’s possible to put into words the impact that Colonel Amos had on the State Transport Police and commercial motor vehicle safety in our state. In the process of breaking down so many barriers, she made our state safer and set an example for other colonels to follow, including myself.”
Born in Charleston in 1958, the sixth of seven siblings, Amos’ parents instilled a strong sense of discipline and work ethic in her and her siblings. After talking with her mother-in-law, who at the time was a public service commissioner, Amos began her law enforcement career with the South Carolina Public Service Commission in 1983, which was responsible for conducting inspections on commercial motor vehicles. She was the first woman hired as a commercial vehicle safety regulator.
After the Government Restructuring Act of 1993, the Public Service Commission became part of the new State Transport Police division. With already a decade of experience in commercial motor vehicle enforcement, Amos became a supervisor in STP’s District 6, which included much of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. John Wayne Valdario was transferred from the Highway Patrol and promoted to oversee the new division as its first commander. Amos, he said, was given the rank of Corporal starting out in the new division, and he was a part of her promotions up to the rank of Captain.
“She was a first in everything and a true asset to the State Transport Police,” Master Trooper Valdario said. “She listened very intently and waited before saying anything. She was a miracle for us. When she was asked for something, she made sure it was done.”
In 1996, Amos was promoted to the rank of Captain. Three years later, she was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel by B. Boykin Rose, the Director of SCDPS at the time.
And just one year after that, in November 2000, Amos was promoted to Colonel of the State Transport Police, making her both the first woman and the first African-American to lead any of the three law enforcement divisions of DPS, as well as the first woman to head a law enforcement division throughout the entirety of South Carolina.
“After she became Colonel, she brought us in and talked with us about the mission and the things we were going to work on to get better,” retired STP Colonel Dean Dill recalled. “She was an exceptional speaker and communicator, and I had a lot of faith in her after that. I knew that she was there fighting for us.”
That effective communication served Amos well as she fought tirelessly not just for funding and resources for her division, but to educate the public about STP and its mission. When budget cuts crippled many state law enforcement agencies in the early 2000s, Amos took her advocacy directly to the legislature to secure additional funding, hire more STP officers, and return the division to its previous staffing levels.
“She was well known at the State House,” said Wilson. “She was very pro-STP, and took care of us.”
At 5-foot-2, Amos didn’t have a large physical presence. But the quiet, unassuming leader made a big impact on the division that governs commercial motor vehicle safety in South Carolina.
“She commanded a room whenever she walked in,” D’Ann said. “She could be very quiet. But you could always tell that she earned the respect of everyone in law enforcement.”
A woman of innovation, Amos’ unique perspective led to the creation of several new units in STP, including the Special Operations Unit, which was comprised of three specialized teams; Commercial Vehicle Investigations Team; the HazMat Team, and the Strategic Traffic Alcohol and Radar Team. She also established STP's Canine Unit.
Amos retired in 2008 after 25 years of hard work and dedication to the state of South Carolina. Using her knowledge and experience, she continued her service on the federal level, overseeing the Office of Safety Programs at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in Washington, D.C until her death from cancer in 2014 at the age of 55.
Despite all of the firsts that Colonel Amos accomplished in life, her children are saddened that she missed out on one thing in particular: Meeting her first grandchild, who is named Sophia Anna Amos in her honor. D’Ann and her brother tell his little girl about her grandmother and namesake, showing her pictures of the late colonel and some of her awards and plaques. Now and forever, she’ll be able to see her grandmother’s latest achievement in the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.
“My brother and I are so proud of her accomplishments,” D’Ann said. “It makes me smile that Sophia was able to be here as her grandmother was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Her name is now etched into history.
