COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame held an induction ceremony today to recognize seven officers for meritorious service for their outstanding contributions to law enforcement in South Carolina.

Each Spring, the Hall of Fame inducts officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Today’s ceremony, however, was the first time law enforcement officers were inducted for meritorious service to our state. 

Nominees for this honor must have a proven record of excellence that is manifestly outstanding, especially to South Carolina law enforcement as a whole. They must have 25 years minimum of law enforcement service. The nominees can be nominated posthumously. The nominees cannot currently be employed by a law enforcement agency or have been employed in the past five years. 

“Today is a great day when we had an opportunity to honor excellence in South Carolina law enforcement,” said SCDPS Director Leroy Smith who also serves as chair of the SC Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame Advisory Committee. “All of the men inducted today made an indelible contribution to law enforcement and a significant investment in making South Carolina a safer place to live.” 

The SC Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame was created by an act of the SC General Assembly in 1974.  That act established the Hall of Fame’s mission as both honoring South Carolina officers who have died in the line of duty and honoring officers in the day-to-day performance of their duties.  The Hall of Fame enabling legislation also established an advisory committee to determine who would be honored at the Hall of Fame and authorized that “Any officer whose continued record of excellence over a period of years is manifestly outstanding may be elected to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame by the advisory committee.” 

This year’s inductees included:

• Director William D. Leeke, South Carolina Department of Corrections
• Colonel P. Frank Thompson, SC Highway Patrol
• Chief J.P. “Pete” Strom, Sr., South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
• Director W. C. “Billy” Gibson, Sr., SC Criminal Justice Academy
• Chief J.C. Rowe, Forest Acres Police Department
• Sheriff I. Byrd Parnell, Sr., Sumter County Sheriff’s Office
• Major K.C. “Chuck” Canterbury, Sr., Horry County Sheriff’s Office

The recipients’ names will be permanently displayed in the Hall of Fame, and going forward each year, additional names will be added representing the “best” in leadership and service in South Carolina law enforcement.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, Immigration Enforcement Unit and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.