LEE COUNTY (February 18, 2026) – The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) recently promoted Erin Pierce to the position of Administrative Division Captain and Gregory Sumner to Administrative Division Lieutenant.
Captain Pierce started her career with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2001 as a Communications Officer, and then a Civil Process Server. After graduating from Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy as part of its 166th Basic Session in December 2015, she became a sworn Deputy Sheriff in the Patrol Division, where she worked her way up from Patrol Deputy to Lieutenant. While in Patrol, she was Sobriety Test Instructor, Drug Recognition Expert (DRE), and Alabama Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Instructor. Under her leadership, her Patrol team received the LCSO Bison Award in 2023, a unit/team commendation recognizing outstanding achievement or actions above and beyond the call of duty. Her team received this award for saving the life of a fellow Deputy in the line of duty. Later in 2023, she transferred to the Administrative Division, serving as the division’s Lieutenant.
In her new role as Captain of the Administrative Division, Captain Pierce will oversee LCSO’s Communications Officers (Dispatch), Civil Process Servers, Deputies within the Administrative Division, Administrative Clerks, and Guardianship/Conservatorship Agent.
Lieutenant Gregory Sumner started at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2013 as a Corrections Deputy. He has since served as a Patrol Deputy, Investigator, School Resource Officer, and Investigations Supervisor. In 2023, Lt. Sumner graduated from MAGNUS National Command and Staff College (Session 019). In 2024, he transferred to the Administrative Division, serving as the division’s Sergeant. Lt. Sumner is a R.A.D. Instructor, TASER Master Instructor, Firearms Instructor, and Hostage Negotiator. He received the LCSO Employee of the Year award for 2023.
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones praised the two leaders, noting “Both Captain Pierce and Lieutenant Sumner are studies in leadership. Throughout their respective careers, they have worked in multi-divisional areas within the Sheriff’s Office, giving them unique perspectives along with the critical components of experience and knowledge to excel in their new positions. We are very proud of them both.”
