Few people can say their career has carried them across states, seas, and sky — but for Captain Steven English, exploration has always been a part of the job. 

“It’s been an incredible ride,” he said. “It was always an honor to clock in. You took pride in your work, your traffic stops, and how you handled yourself.”

Born in Charleston and raised in Walterboro, English developed a deep passion for nature at a young age as he spent his days exploring the Lowcountry and learning about forestry through his father. 

“The outdoors are my happy place,” he said. “Boating, hunting, anything outside —it’s my escape. I always jokingly say that it’s cheaper than a therapist.” 

Following high school graduation, English became a forester and volunteer firefighter at the Edisto Beach Fire Department and, later, the St. Paul's Fire Department. Through his interactions with law enforcement, he decided to pursue a career at the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.

During his time as a deputy, English heard of the South Carolina Highway Patrol’s ACE Team, a specialized unit of the Highway Patrol that, at the time, included the K-9 and Motor Units. Enticed by its mission, English made the switch to the Highway Patrol in 2002, where he served on the team as a K-9 handler.

“It’s an elite unit that’s well respected across the country,” English said. “My teammates and I seized countless weapons, illegal narcotics, and millions of dollars of illegal drug proceeds. If nothing else, we knew we were making some type of difference in neighborhoods all over the U.S.”

English’s unwavering excitement over his new career was surpassed only by that of his parents and his wife Chrissy, who cheered him on every step of the way.

“My mother passed a few years ago, but she was always incredibly proud of me for being a state trooper,” English said. “We would go to restaurants, and she’d tell the waitress I was a state trooper. At the time, it felt embarrassing. But now, looking back, I know it was just her sense of pride.”

According to English, the highlight of his career as a state trooper was the opportunity to work alongside his counterpart, K-9 Coates. Trained in narcotics detection and criminal interdiction, Coates was named in honor of Lance Corporal Mark H. Coates, a member of the ACE Team who was tragically killed in the line of duty in November 1992. 

“Every so often I would go down to the spot on I-95 where Trooper Coates was killed and I’d replace his cross,” English said. “I cleaned it up and made sure it still looked nice, as a way to keep his memory alive. It was one of the highest honors to carry on his work.”

Together, English and K-9 Coates traveled across the nation, teaching other law enforcement professionals valuable hands-on skills and criminal interdiction techniques. Additionally, the unit’s partnership with a vast network of law enforcement agencies around the U.S. allowed English to join in operations by land, sea, and sky. 

“I feel very fortunate to have worked assignments that maybe no other trooper here has before,” he said. “I patrolled the Rio Grande River by boat and helicopter with state troopers in Texas. I even worked with the Coast Guard, patrolling the intercoastal waterway outside of Charleston. They’d stop a boat for an inspection, and then we would take the dogs up to do a drug sniff. It was pretty incredible.”

In 2022, English closed his chapter with the Highway Patrol and joined the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Strategic Services and Planning (DSSP), where he has since served as the Emergency Management Unit Commander. Through DSSP, English helps manage internal operations and coordinates with other law enforcement agencies during weather emergencies and major events. 

“You get to meet a lot of great people in this role,” he said. “Coordinating with the Secret Service for presidential details over the last few years has been pretty amazing. Our job is to make sure that people know where to go, when their briefing time is, and where their lodging facilities are. It’s all about networking with other officers and agencies.” 


After 29 years of service in both law enforcement and emergency management, English will retire from the Department of Public Safety effective June 30. While he is sad to bid farewell to his colleagues, English will continue his work in emergency management with the South Carolina AUXCOMM group. Additionally, he looks forward to spending more quality time with his father and wife as he manages the family real estate business. 

“I fell in love with my job at DSSP,” English said. “I didn't ever think I'd find another role that would give me the thrill or happiness as being of the ACE Team did. But I have really, really enjoyed my time here and I wouldn't trade it for the world.”