A member of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.

Gov. Henry McMaster bestowed the Order of the Palmetto on Col. Mel Seboe, who has been with the department for more than 50 years, at a surprise presentation March 2 during the Lexington County Sheriff’s Foundation awards banquet.

“Col. Seboe is more than deserving of the Order of the Palmetto not only because of the length of his service, but also because of how he has served,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon is quoted in a release. “He has served with honor and integrity, always remaining humble and kind to everyone he meets.”

Seboe, who began his law enforcement career with the West Columbia Police Department in 1971 after serving in Vietnam, started the sheriff’s department’s bloodhound tracking team in 1973, which was the forerunner to the county’s K-9 team. He also started the sheriff’s department’s explosive ordinance disposal team in 1974.

“Although he has retired from bomb tech duties, he remains the longest-serving bomb tech in the United States,” the release notes, adding that Seboe currently handles duties in fleet management and within the special operations unit.

Since 1999, a non-partisan panel has overseen the nomination and selection process for the Order of the Palmetto, which recognizes extraordinary lifetime achievements and contributions to the state.