S.C. Department of Public Safety honors late troopers with 3 new K-9s
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Three new K-9s have been welcomed to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, all bearing the name of a trooper killed in the line of duty.
According to a Facebook post made by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, it serves as a “Gesture of gratitude for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The following is a list of all active highway patrol K-9s, according to the department:
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- K-9 Alverson is named after Patrolman First Class David Lee Alverson of Spartanburg County. Alverson was on duty in a construction zone in Orangeburg County on Nov.12, 1981, when a tractor-trailer hit his patrol car. He died the next day.K-9 Alverson will serve in the Midstate alongside his handler, Master Trooper L.A. Maule.
- K-9 Chappell is named after Lance Corporal Michael Allen Chappell. On April 17, 1995, Chappell was attempting a traffic stop on a violator when his patrol car veered off the roadway and overturned. He died as a result of his injuries. K-9 Chappell will serve in the Upstate alongside his handler, Master Trooper J.H. Pruitt.
- K-9 Radford is named in honor of Trooper First Class Tillman Radford, a 16-year veteran of the Highway Patrol. On Oct. 29, 1989, TFC Radford was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Dillon County. K-9 Radford will serve in the Lowstate alongside her handler, Master Trooper J.T. Sarvis.
“Our law enforcement family would not be complete without our K-9 counterparts,” said Colonel Christopher Williamson, Commander of the Highway Patrol. “Naming our K-9 officers after fallen troopers gives us the unique opportunity to honor those who sacrificed more than most could ever imagine.”
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