First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, South Carolina

Church members Sal and Lois Rao recently saw a dream of theirs come true.   In 2002 their son, South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) Senior Trooper Mike Rao, was killed in the line of duty.  Since then, they have worked diligently for the creation of a law enforcement memorial in Lancaster County. 

On Wednesday, April 16th the monument was finally unveiled to a crowd of media, citizens, and local law enforcement officers.  In attendance at the ceremony were also family members of the seven officers who have lost their lives while on duty in Lancaster county.   Senior Trooper Rao, however, was not included on the monument as he was on duty in Clarendon county when he lost his life and he is included in a monument in that county.

Guest speakers included:  former SCHP Colonel Russell Roark, SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Captain William Poole III,  Lancaster County Sheriff Johnny Cauthen,  Sheriff's Chaplain Johnny Rogers, Lancaster Police Department Patrol Commander Captain Scott Grant,  SC Department of Juvenile Justice County Director Sandra Burton, SCHP First Sergeant Lonnie Plyler,  and Rev. Dr. J. Eric Skidmore of the SC Law Enforcement Assistance Program.

Those remembered were:

 

Officers Name	Agency	Year of Death
B. Frank Sowell	Lancaster Police Department	1937
Walter T. Bell	SC Highway Patrol	1939
Curtis J. Pope	Constable	1943
Coleman B. McAteer	Constable	1947
W. Clarence Hunter	Sheriff's Office	1972
J. T. McAteer	Sheriff's Office	1977
Roy D. Hardin	Sheriff's Office	2001

 

The beautiful cake shown above was decorated by one of our members, Robin Byrd. 

To view pictures from the service, read the newspaper article, or view the ceremony program, please click here.