Charleston Police dedicate Fallen Officer Memorial Wall
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston Police Department officially dedicated a memorial wall Friday morning that former Police Chief Luther Reynolds helped lead the effort to create before his death.
The Fallen Officer Memorial Wall will stand as “a testament to the valor and sacrifice of our fallen heroes who have given their lives in service to the community,” city spokesman Jack O’Toole said. The wall was one of the most personal priorities for Reynolds, who died in May from cancer.
“We are immensely proud to see Chief Reynolds’ dream come to fruition today,” Interim Police Chief Chito Walker said. “The significance of having a dedicated memorial wall to our fallen officers cannot be overstated. It stands as a powerful symbol to our promise to honoring those who bravely stood between the danger in our community.”
Walker said it will serve as a place of reflection and remembrance, reminding them of the sacrifices the officers made and the debt of gratitude they are owed.
“It also provides solace and comfort to the families and their loved ones left behind knowing that their heroes will forever be honored and remembered,” Walker said.
The group Law Enforcement Neighborhood Support, or LENS, was credited for helping create the memorial. LENS provided an additional plaque that dedicates the wall to Reynolds, whom it called “a visionary leader whose unwavering dedication and boundless faith transformed a heartfelt vision into a poignant reality.”
“These are 24 officers that now will never be forgotten,” Capt. Anthony Cretella said of the wall, which features South Carolina-shaped plaques with the names of each of the officers who have died serving the city of Charleston, dating all the way back to Arthur Gaillard, who died on Aug. 14, 1857.
The most recent Charleston Police officer lost in the line of duty was Private First Class Roger Myers, on April 5, 2004, the city’s website states.
A separate Charleston Police Memorial is located at Brittlebank Park on Lockwood Boulevard across from police headquarters. The memorial honors officers who have lost their lives serving and protecting.
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