INTERVIEW: Female Chatham Co. Sheriff’s office deputy receives historic promotion

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - [UPDATE] WTOC was there last Friday for a pinning ceremony at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office that recognized an historic promotion.

Major Nicole Scott-Bond has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. She is now the highest-ranking female deputy in the history of the department.

She says it’s a moment she’s waited for her whole life.

One of her new responsibilities is being a leader in the detention center, overseeing 500 employees.

She, along with Sheriff Richard Coleman, joined WTOC’s Dawn Baker for Welcome to our Community.

Want to watch the full interview? See below:

[ORIGINAL STORY] The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office made history this week as Major Nicole Scott-Bond was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, becoming the highest-ranking female deputy in the agency’s history.

“Knowing that you are in a male-dominated environment in the career, I’ve always been an individual who felt like seniority came first, but then I realized that it’s not really all about seniority -- it’s if you’re doing the job,” she said.

The milestone moment was marked by an emotional pinning ceremony where Lt. Col. Scott-Bond was surrounded by family, friends, colleagues, and community members when her two sons had the honor of pinning on her new insignia.

Friends and family shared stories about her journey, filled with both challenges and triumphs. Tears were shed as she talked about the struggles of climbing the workforce ladder, but there were also laughs as friends shared stories about her competitive spirit growing up.

Now, as Lieutenant Colonel, she will oversee operations at the county jail, managing more than 500 employees.

She also reflected on her role, emphasizing her pride in being both the first woman and first Black woman overall to reach this rank in Chatham County.

“It was just unbelievable how so many people pay attention,” she said about when she first walked into the crowded, standing-room-only space inside the sheriff’s office. “You never know when people are paying attention, and to know that so many people are paying attention and they have watched my journey, it really made me feel overwhelmed.”

She said it’s a moment she’s waited for her whole life. Full of gratitude, humility, and pride. She’ll never take it for granted, especially being raised in this community.

Before joining the Sheriff’s Office in December 2002, she began her career as a teacher at Savannah High School.

“That was a passion in the beginning, and then I wanted to do something different.”

A family friend encouraged her to explore law enforcement, setting her on a path that would lead to 23 years of service.

“When I came to the sheriff’s office, a lot of the students I was teaching, they started coming to the sheriff’s office too and it was like, wait a minute, I thought I left y’all at the school system, I don’t need y’all to follow me here,” she said jokingly after the ceremony. “Being around the kids, they helped me, they molded me to just be great because when you’re dealing with teenagers, you have to have some compassion.”

Over the years, she has worked in nearly every division of the Sheriff’s Office, including the courts, internal affairs, and the jail.

She credited past leaders and mentors who paved the way for her advancement, and she expressed hope that her journey would inspire young women, especially in her community, to believe in their own potential.

“It means a lot to me. There have been trailblazers that were before me, and to say that I am the first [female Lt. Colonel], it really means a lot,” she said. “It now gives my family the word to say, ‘Hey, my mom, my sister, my grandmother, my daughter, my niece, she’s the first and she has made history.”

Sheriff Richard S. Coleman praised her achievement in a post on Facebook:

“Lt. Col. Scott-Bond, you are a shining light to all of our young ladies and women around the world. Your achievement speaks volumes against the belief that women should only receive secondary advancements and demonstrates the equality of women and what they can achieve. Congratulations, well deserved, and job well done.”

In addition to Lt. Col. Scott-Bond’s promotion, seven other officers were promoted during the ceremony.