Palmetto Excellence in Stewardship Award

Recognizing those who protect South Carolina’s lands, waters, and wildlife with exceptional dedication.

West Columbia, SC 12/11/25 - The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is proud to announce the launch of the Palmetto Excellence in Stewardship Award, a new recognition program honoring employees who demonstrate outstanding commitment to our mission of protecting the lands, waters, wildlife, and people of South Carolina. This award celebrates individuals whose work reflects the highest standards of professionalism, service, and conservation leadership. Our department’s success depends on the dedication of staff across every division—from law enforcement officers on our waterways to biologists in the field, educators in our communities, and the professionals who support our operations behind the scenes.

To inaugurate this new honor, SCDNR is proud to recognize Colonel Chisolm Frampton as the first recipient of the Palmetto Excellence in Stewardship Award—a fitting tribute for a leader whose career embodies the very principles this award seeks to celebrate.

Few leaders have reshaped an agency and influenced a profession as profoundly as Colonel Chisolm Frampton, whose visionary leadership has strengthened the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division (SCDNR LE) and advanced conservation law enforcement across the nation.

COL Frampton has served in critical leadership roles at every level, including President of the SEAFWA Law Enforcement Chiefs, member of the NACLEC Steering Committee, Vice Chair of the Charleston Area Maritime Security Committee, and Past Chair of the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Law Enforcement Panel. His strategic insights and commitment to cooperation elevated regional and national standards for resource protection.

He authored South Carolina’s first State Law Enforcement Boating Procurement Contract, a framework still in use today that continues to support local maritime industries. He also created SCDNR’s Saltwater Enforcement Team, enhancing commercial fisheries enforcement along the coast. In partnership with FLETC and the U.S. Coast Guard, he helped develop a national maritime safety and security training curriculum now used across agencies.

Under COL Frampton’s leadership, SCDNR LE underwent one of the most comprehensive modernizations in its history. He transitioned the division to electronic officer accountability, including E-ticketing, computer-aided dispatch, and digital evidence storage—changes that revolutionized accuracy, transparency, and officer efficiency. He implemented Axon body-worn cameras and a statewide 800 MHz radio system, significantly improving communication and officer safety.

His efforts resulted in the expansion of the division from 211 to 352 officers, while raising starting salaries from $30,377 to $54,192, strengthening recruitment and retention. He also created more than 18 new supervisory positions, giving officers long-needed advancement pathways.

COL Frampton expanded the training staff from two to eight full-time instructors, built programs in water survival, officer survival, and ground defense, and revitalized the Styx Firing Range with support from the South Carolina National Guard. SCDNR became the only wildlife agency in the country equipped with a FATS de-escalation simulator, elevating training to a national standard.

His modernization efforts continued across specialized units. He reinstated the K-9 Team, expanded the Dive Team from 10 to 16 divers, and institutionalized the use of divers for coastal recoveries and abandoned vessel removals. He implemented ARIS sonar technology in aquatic investigations and oversaw a full equipment overhaul, including upgraded dive vans and rescue systems.

SCDNR became the first wildlife agency in the United States to deploy Aimpoint laser-sighted firearms, achieved through a partnership with Glock Austria and Aimpoint. He further strengthened agency effectiveness by establishing dedicated law enforcement attorneys for prosecution and training.

One of COL Frampton’s most enduring legacies is his leadership in creating the National Conservation Law Enforcement Leadership Academy (NCLELA). At a 2013 national meeting, conservation chiefs recognized the need for a pipeline of future leaders. COL Frampton was one of the first to volunteer, hosting strategic planning sessions at the Webb Wildlife Center and helping design a curriculum that anticipates the future challenges of the profession.

Thanks to his leadership, NCLELA has become a cornerstone of professional development. More than 400 officers across the U.S. and Canada have graduated from the academy, including 90 promoted officers, 45 new Chiefs, Colonels, Deputy Chiefs, or Lt. Colonels, and several who now serve as state directors, assistant directors, and even a Deputy Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

COL Chisolm Frampton’s career represents a rare combination of innovation, strategic foresight, and unwavering dedication to public service. His influence extends far beyond South Carolina—shaping national training, strengthening interagency collaboration, and building the leadership foundation for the future of conservation law enforcement.

His service exemplifies the very essence of the Palmetto Excellence in Stewardship Award, making him the ideal honoree to launch this new tradition of recognizing SCDNR’s most exceptional stewards.