Lewis J. “Jackie” Swindler, who earned his master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina in 1984, has dedicated more than 50 years to law enforcement. He serves as director of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, where he helps prepare the state’s next generation of law enforcement professionals.
Swindler became director of the academy in September 2016. Previously, he served as chief of police for the City of Newberry from 1993 until his retirement in July 2014. He then worked as the law enforcement liaison for the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
An honor graduate of both Newberry College and USC, Swindler holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in criminal justice. He also graduated from the 137th session of the FBI National Academy.
Under his leadership, the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and received the Dominion Energy Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement. The academy also built a tactical shoot house with more than $1 million donated by the FBI and implemented a new four- and eight-week basic law enforcement curriculum.
I was blessed to have received my Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina in 1984. I attended USC when it had a College of Criminal Justice and had a work study program where you attend one weekend a month. The professors were so engaging and beneficial. Most of my classmates, who like me, were working full time. I truly enjoyed my experiences, and I believe that it greatly benefitted me with my career.
Swindler is a past president of the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association. He serves on the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Committee and the State Homeland Security Senior Advisory Council. He also co-chairs the advisory council for Excellence in Policing and Public Safety, a collaboration between the Law Enforcement Training Council and USC’s School of Law.
His honors include the FBI National Academy President’s Award, the Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement and recognition as South Carolina Officer of the Year. In 2014, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association presented him with its inaugural Jackie Swindler Award for Ethics and Professionalism in Law Enforcement. In 2025, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the South Carolina FBI National Academy Associates.
Swindler holds an eighth-degree rank in Zen Shoto Kai karate. He has instructed for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, served as a lead instructor for the Carolinas Institute for Community Policing and spoken to audiences across the country for more than a decade. He and his wife, Sherry, have two sons, Jackson and Joshua, and four grandchildren.
Reflecting on his time at South Carolina, Swindler credits the program’s faculty and opportunities for working professionals with helping him advance his career.