South Carolina’s fallen officers of 2018 to be honored at ceremony Friday

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) -For the 14th year, the South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police (SCFOP) will hold a ceremony to honor the lives lost in the line of duty. This time recognizing the fallen officers of 2018.

Friday’s ceremony will take place at the Law Enforcement Monument on State House grounds.

Seven names have recently been added to that monument, which sits closest to Assembly Street right behind the Dennis Building. It’s where family and community members will remember the law enforcement officers who reached what’s called the EOW, or end of watch over the last year.

The monument has been standing on State House grounds since 2005, and every year since, there has been an event dedicated to honoring officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2018, Detective Michael Doty with the York County Sheriff’s Office was killed in an officer-involved shooting while responding to a domestic violence call.

Corporal Dale Hallman with the Saluda County Sheriff’s Office was on his way to help in the pursuit of an armed man with a child when his car went off the side of the road and overturned. He died from his injuries.

Master Deputy James Kirk Junior with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office died after collapsing while at a training event.

Sergeant Terrence Carraway with the Florence Police Department and Investigator Farrah Turner with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office were both killed in an officer-involved shooting while serving a search warrant.

Deputy Jerry Hurd Junior with the Richland County Sheriff’s Office was hit by a car while working as a prisoner transport officer back in 2002. He was paralyzed in the incident and died from his injuries in 2018.

Officer Charlie Smith with the Duncan Police Department was shot and killed in 1939 while making an arrest, but has never been recognized on a state or national monument, until now. He will be honored at Friday’s event.

There are still several fallen officers who have yet to receive this recognition. Now, the SCFOP is making this parts of its mission, working to identify and honor those forgotten officers.

“We’re actually are in the process, right now. We have 25 additional names that we have been able to get the documentation on – that are not on the state or national monument – that we are working on to start on for next year, to be able to add. So, that’s what it is. When we find out that we have agencies that have not done the paperwork, we do all the documentation ourselves,” state chaplain of the SCFOP and investigator with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department Dale Jones said.

Jones says, family members of the fallen officers are expected to attend Friday night’s ceremony.

“We normally have an officer from that agency that escorts them in when the name is called. We have a blue light that we give to them that they can shine to show that the blue line, the police backing is always there, 24/7, 365. Just to support, so they know that we’re still there with them every time they need us.”

Friday’s ceremony begins at 6:00 PM.

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