Newberry native Lee Turner started a law enforcement career in Newberry, and after 40 years the officer is back in the county and going strong.

Born and raised in the West End area, Turner has served the region as an officer for the past four decades.

Here’s The Observer’s weekly Hat’s off question and answer salute to this longtime law enforcer.

Q: In all, where have you worked?

A. Turner was drafted into the army and served active duty as for two years. One of those years he served in Vietnam. After leaving active duty, Turner served in the National Guard as a military police officer for 25 years.

In 1971, Turner began his law enforcement career with a short stint as a Newberry police officer.

By 1974, he became a trooper with the S.C. Highway Patrol and later with a transfer Turner served as a driving examiner for 14 years. As an examiner, he rode on many road tests with young drivers.

Turner was then promoted to Department of Motor Vehicles supervisor in the Fountain Inn DMV branch.

But in 1995, he took one of several retirements.

Turner says he had known Laurens Police Chief Robin Morse for years and soon after his retirement Turner became a Laurens police officer. Turner stayed at Laurens for five years and had many jobs in the department before his retirement in 2000.

Turner still had the itch for policing and became a member of the Presbyterian College Public Safety team.

His last job change was in July 2008 when he became a part of the Sheriff’s Office where he works on courthouse security detail.

Q: Why work in law enforcement for so long?

A: “It is what the Lord meant for me to do,” said Turner. “It is all I ever wanted to do. I have tried to retire, but keep coming back.”

Q: Why move back to Newberry after living around the state?

A: “I came home to be close to family and friends, play golf and Aveleigh is a real good church,” said Turner. He also admitted the move from Clinton put him closer to Shealy’s Bar-B-Que and Wise’s Peanuts.

“The best people in the world are right around here,” he adds.

Q: When do you think you will retire for the last time?

A: “I plan on working as long as someone is willing to hire me. I have no time line on it,” he adds.

Q: Have you seen more good times THAN bad?

A: Turner says he has had more good days.

But he points to memorable “bad ones” like the murder of a retired Laurens minister beaten with a pipe wrench, and Laurens man, Johnny Satterwhite, killing his three children.

Q: Of all the places you have worked which have been the best?

A: Turner says the Sheriff’s Office is the best agency he has worked for, but Morse can be a model and teach other officers many things. But he admits it is different working for agencies from the college level to the state.