His father was a sheriff, his mother was a school teacher and Tommy Pope was destined to continue their careers in public service. After graduating from Rock Hill High School, Tommy pursued a degree in Business Management at the University of South Carolina.

As a freshman, Tommy began working at the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) as a “phone boy” — literally, the boy who answered the phones.

Throughout his undergraduate years, in addition to his phone boy duties, Tommy ran the blood hounds, cut down marijuana fields and apprehended criminals.