Early career
Capt. Joseph Dobbins was born in Brownton, W. Va. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the infantry as a machine gunner. While in the infantry he was selected to serve in Security Forces at Charleston, S.C. In 1995 he made a move into air traffic control. While serving as a controller, Dobbins made multiple combat deployments to Iraq, and in 2005 he was selected as the Command-and-Control Marine of the Year. He was promoted to master sergeant and spent a large part of his remaining military career in Beaufort. He retired from active duty in August 2011.
Joining the Beaufort PD
Capt. Dobbins was hired by the Beaufort Police Department in July 2011 as a patrolman I.
He was promoted through the ranks to the rank of first sergeant in August 2018. He supervised multiple patrol teams over the next three years. In December of 2021, he was promoted to master sergeant in the Operations Division.
In October of 2022, he was promoted to Lieutenant, supervising patrol. In June 2024, he was promoted to Captain/Operations.