About Your Future Sheriff
Robert J. Cheeks
Robert is a life long resident of Spartanburg County and a dedicated servant leader. He began his law enforcement career in 2010 with the Spartanburg Police Department before moving to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office where he has served since 2016.
With a strong focus on community engagement, he has consistently worked to enhance the quality of life across Spartanburg County, leveraging his life experiences and commitment to public service. Through a systematic and data-driven approach, he ensures that law enforcement efforts are both effective and impactful in every neighborhood.
In his most recent role as 1st Lieutenant over the Uniform Patrol Division at the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office, Cheeks oversaw the more than 125 uniformed law enforcement professionals making up nearly half of the Sheriff’s Office personnel. His
leadership emphasizes collaboration with government agencies, community organizations, and civic
groups to reduce the risk of juvenile involvement in the criminal justice system, while also creating
opportunities for those in the criminal justice system to pursue meaningful career paths and get jobs in hopes of decreasing recidivism.
Robert is graduate of the Spartanburg County Foundation's Grassroots Leadership Development
Institute (GLDI) where they develop leaders to empower their community with the tools to create positive social change. He actively serves on non profit organization boards and contributes to a variety of community impact initiatives through steering committees and volunteer efforts across Spartanburg County. He is also a board member of the Spartanburg County School District 6 School Improvement Council.
Outside of his professional responsibilities, Cheeks is deeply committed to his family and philanthropic
endeavors. His volunteerism and dedication to community service reflect his unwavering commitment
to being a positive force for change in the community he has long called home.
His extensive career includes key roles that have had a significant impact on public safety and crime prevention in Spartanburg County.
Prior to his current position, Cheeks served as the supervisor of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Gang Unit,
where he led efforts to investigate, intervene, and prevent gang-related violence. Under his leadership, the Gang
Unit was tasked with handling serious criminal activities, ranging from car breakins and drive-by shootings to homicides.
Cheeks took a community-centered approach to combating crime, building partnerships with local organizations focused
on creating lasting change and reducing gang violence in the county.
Before overseeing the Gang Unit, Cheeks was a federal task force officer assigned to the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), where he lead both domestic and international investigations targeting and disrupting Central American drug trafficking
organizations. Primarily their investigations focused was on fentanyl and fentanyl distribution, with an emphasis on addressing the
growing issue of fentanyl related poisoning, overdoes and deaths.
Cheeks also serves as a member of the Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Devices Unit/Bomb Squad and holds several
Hazmat and homeland security certifications. His broad experience within law enforcement began at the Spartanburg Police Department, where he spent a significant portion of his tenure in the Narcotics, Vice, and Organized Crimes Unit. He was also a
task force officer on both the FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force combating local and international gangs and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force combating domestic terrorism.
Throughout his distinguished career, Cheeks has earned numerous awards and commendations, including Rookie
of the Year, Officer of the Year, Life Saving Award, Supervisor of the Year, and the T.M. Floyd Award. The T.M. Floyd
Award is one of the highest awards presented annually to a law enforcement professional who embodies the core values of law enforcement, demonstrating selfless service and making a lasting impact on both the Sheriff’s Office and the Spartanburg County community.
The Things That Matter
Our Deputies
Our Deputies
Our Deputies
I'm not here for transactional work, I'm here for transformative work.
Advocacy for the deputies of the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office and Spartanburg County Detention Facility is my top priority. Ensuring the citizens of our county have the highest paid, most well trained law enforcement professionals translates to the highest quality
I'm not here for transactional work, I'm here for transformative work.
Advocacy for the deputies of the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office and Spartanburg County Detention Facility is my top priority. Ensuring the citizens of our county have the highest paid, most well trained law enforcement professionals translates to the highest quality of service. Thus taking a holistic approach to the human being and the challenges that come along with our profession both mentally and physically.
CommUNITY
Our Deputies
Our Deputies
If you want to make a difference in your community, you have to be a part of your community.
Change doesn't happen from the sidelines it starts with showing up, listening, and working together. Direct involvement cultivates empathy. You see things from within, not from the outside looking in.
Real impact is built on connection, trust, and
If you want to make a difference in your community, you have to be a part of your community.
Change doesn't happen from the sidelines it starts with showing up, listening, and working together. Direct involvement cultivates empathy. You see things from within, not from the outside looking in.
Real impact is built on connection, trust, and shared purpose. Let’s build stronger communities from the inside out
Transparency & Accountability
Transparency & Accountability
Transparency & Accountability
Protecting our community starts with upholding the law. Fairly, transparently, and with accountability.
Trust in government is built on openness, and it's crucial that our community has a voice in how the Sheriff’s Office operates and evolves. Together, as part of the Sheriff's Advisory Board we can guide its mission forward and ensure safety, justice, and unity for all.
Commitment to Public Safety
Transparency & Accountability
Transparency & Accountability
Smart policing means combining cutting edge technology with the voices of the people we serve.
By holding regular community meetings and forming advisory boards that encourage open, honest communication, we strengthen the bond between the Sheriff’s Office and the public. This approach leads to safer neighborhoods, tech you trust, a well-i
Smart policing means combining cutting edge technology with the voices of the people we serve.
By holding regular community meetings and forming advisory boards that encourage open, honest communication, we strengthen the bond between the Sheriff’s Office and the public. This approach leads to safer neighborhoods, tech you trust, a well-informed community, and ensures that those who pose a threat are kept off of our streets and in jail.