Robert G. Woods IV is a 37-year law enforcement veteran and has led the South Carolina Department of Public Safety since being appointed Acting Director by Governor Henry McMaster on February 1, 2020. He began his law enforcement career with the Charleston Police Department before joining the South Carolina Highway Patrol, where he served more than 30 years. Since being appointed and confirmed to serve as Director in March 2021, he was reconfirmed to serve a second term on May 8, 2024. 

Michael Oliver serves as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS).

Colonel Christopher Williamson earned his position as the South Carolina Highway Patrol Commander in 2017. A native of Darlington, he began his career with the SC Department of Corrections and the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Highway Patrol as a trooper in 1988. He has the distinction of being the first Black commander of the Highway Patrol, and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in clinical and behavioral counseling.

Colonel Dwayne Wilson joined State Transport Police (STP) in November 1994 and was appointed to Colonel on July 1, 2024. As STP commander, he oversees the division responsible for enforcing state and federal regulations for commercial traffic, removing unsafe drivers and vehicles from the roadways, and protecting South Carolina’s infrastructure. 

Chief Dwayne Brunson joined the Bureau of Protective Services for the South Carolina Department of Public Safety in 1998, working his way to the rank of Major in 2020 before being appointed commander in July 2025. 

Prior to joining BPS, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from SC State University. He further pursued his education during his career as a BPS officer, graduating from the SC Criminal Justice Academy in 1999, the FBI National Academy in 2018, and becoming a South Carolina Certified Public Manager in 2018.  

Chief Kenneth Phelps began his career as a state trooper in 1990 and was selected to lead the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) in 2013, after previously serving as the Troop 4 commander for the South Carolina Highway Patrol. 

Marc Gore began his career with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety in August 2012 and assumed his current position as the General Counsel in June 2017. In his role, Gore is responsible for providing legal services to the department and its employees, including legal guidance and representation. Gore’s office also is tasked with reviewing contracts, aiding the department’s law enforcement officers in the prosecution of criminal charges, and developing departmental policy.

Lieutenant Colonel Donald Banister has been with the agency for more than 35 years, including 27 with South Carolina Highway Patrol and eight with the Division for Strategic Services (DSSP). He was appointed as Commander of DSSP, formerly known as the Office of Strategic Services, Accreditation, Policy and Inspections (OSAPI), in 2020.

Michael Thompson has served as the agency’s Office of Governmental Affairs Director since February of 2023. In this role, he acts as the primary liaison with the South Carolina General Assembly, monitoring relevant legislation, attending hearings, and briefing agency leadership on policy changes.

As Chief Financial Officer, Karl Boston is responsible for the overall direction of financial components for the agency, including fiscal planning, financial accounting and reporting functions, budget development and execution, systems administration, records and inventory control, and highly complex procurement services.  The core of his fiscal responsibility encompasses daily oversight of the agency’s general budget which exceeds $300 million.

Serphia Curry oversees the Department of Public Safety’s classification, compensation, and payroll programs; administering employee benefits, retirement, and wellness programs; coordinating all performance, discipline, and employee grievance actions; and coordinating the department’s employment process.

Regina Crolley joined the Department of Public Safety in January 2017 as the Chief Information Officer (CIO).  Prior to that, she managed the Environmental Applications team at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control for three years. Most of Crolley’s extensive information technology, cyber, and leadership experiences came from her 25 years at the Savannah River Site in Aiken.

Phil Riley began his career as a South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper from 1985 to1989, leaving the patrol to earn a Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina. With the creation of the Department of Public Safety in 1993, Riley was hired to work in the Office of Highway Safety, later being named its Director in 2008. Following a merger in 2012, Riley became the Director of the newly created Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs. He briefly retired in 2019 but returned to the role in 2020.

Heather Biance joined SCDPS in June 2021, after previously serving at the SC Department of Employment and Workforce and nearly eight years as a television news journalist in both Florida and South Carolina. After one year as the Public Affairs Manager at SCDPS, she was promoted to the director role, overseeing all agency communications, including social media, media relations, and the agency’s website. Her team also is responsible for the artwork and production of all SCDPS social media ads and billboards that aim to educate the public and reduce fatalities in the state.

Alan Parker and his team manage several crucial components that support the operations of the Department of Public Safety, including the agency’s large vehicle fleet, Central Evidence Facility (CEF), and building and lease management across the state.