RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — A new promotion has made Deputy Chief Maria Yturria the highest-ranking Hispanic officer in the history of the Richland County Sheriff's Department.
Yturria will serve as deputy chief of the department's Professional Development Division.
Born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, Yturria joined the department in 2003 after serving more than seven years in the U.S. Army. After rising through the ranks, she is now the highest-ranking Hispanic individual in the history of the department.
Yturria initially served the Sheriff's Department as a reserve deputy before joining full-time as a uniformed patrol deputy, and during her 19-plus years with the department, has served in many different capacities.
After leaving patrol, she was promoted to investigator and later earned the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Criminal Investigations Division. There, she supervised the Victim Services Unit. In 2018, Yturria was promoted to Captain of RCSD's Public Affairs Office. Two years later, she was promoted to her most recent role as Major of the Professional Development Division, which includes Public Affairs, CIT, Training Division, Recruiting and Hiring.
Yturria holds several certifications, including Hostage/Crisis Negotiator, Statewide Peer Support Team Leader and is a board member for the AUSA SC Palmetto Chapter. She is bilingual and oversees the Spanish translation program for at the department.
"Chief Yturria is a great example of how hard work, dedication, loyalty, and a strong desire to strive for excellence pays off," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. "She has earned the rank of Deputy Chief and will do an excellent job in keeping RCSD as an all-inclusive professional agency."
Yturria has received numerous awards throughout her career and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the S.C. Law Enforcement Commanders School, the S.C. Victim Assistance Academy, and the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy.