A Legacy of Leadership: J.M. “Buddy” Phillips, Part 2

Jason Futch [email protected]   J.M. "Buddy" Phillips was sworn in as Sheriff of Suwannee County on Jan. 7, 1969. Having grown up in Suwannee County and being the son of former Live Oak Mayor J. Marvin Phillips, public service was only natural for the 29-year-old lawman, one of the youngest in the state.  Phillips was destined to modernize the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) and help usher in a new era for the region. Having attended the National FBI Academy in 1967, he picked up on new methods of law enforcement that were beneficial to the community in cracking down on crime. Throughout the four years of Phillips's service as sheriff, turbulent t