Sgt. Andrew Martin was arrested in Jasper County and placed on unpaid administrative leave pending an investigation
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
A Beaufort Police Department sergeant has been placed on unpaid administrative leave after he was arrested in Jasper County last week on an assault and battery charge.
Sgt. Andrew Martin was arrested Tuesday, Sept. 22, by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and charged with third-degree assault and battery. He was later released from the Jasper County Detention Center on a $1,092.50 personal recognizance bond.
Details surrounding the incident that led to Martin’s arrest have not been publicly released. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case.
Following the arrest, the Beaufort Police Department placed Martin on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and an internal review.
“The Beaufort Police Department takes any alleged violation of law or departmental policy seriously and holds its officers to the highest standards of professional conduct,” the department said in a statement.
The department said the incident is being investigated by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and is also being reviewed internally in accordance with department policy.
“As this remains an active matter, no additional information will be released at this time,” the department said.
Martin is currently listed in the City of Beaufort’s staff directory as a sergeant assigned to training.
Martin joined the Beaufort Police Department in October 2024 after previously working in law enforcement. At the time of his promotion to patrol sergeant in February, the department said Martin had approximately 7½ years of law enforcement experience.
The department had previously recognized Martin in March 2025 following his graduation from the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy. At the time, the department said Martin would move into field training with its Patrol Division.
No additional information about the alleged assault or the identity of any other person involved has been released.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office maintains records related to law enforcement incidents and states that incident reports may be requested through the agency. The case against Martin remains pending.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.