A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR TONY TAYLOR, CHIEF OF THE WILLIAMSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, upON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AFTER MORE THAN THREE AND A HALF DECADES OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE, AND TO WISH HIM A HAPPY SIXTIETH BIRTHDAY.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives has learned that Tony Taylor will begin a well-deserved retirement after more than thirty-five years as a premier law-enforcement officer, the last of which have been as the highly regarded chief of the Williamston Police Department; and

Whereas, reared and educated in Anderson County, he earned an associate degree in criminal justice after graduation from high school and then attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy; and

Whereas, in 1984, Chief Taylor was hired by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office where he served in many capacities and received the 1997 Frank Looper Deputy of the Year Award, one of the highest awards at the Greenville County Sheriff's Office. His early work in gang prevention helped to establish a level of law-enforcement professionals to identify and deter youth from getting involved in illegal activities, and he was instrumental in creating the South Carolina Law Enforcement Gang Analysis; and 

Whereas, his distinguished career in criminal justice has included service as a gang investigator, deputy, resource officer, private investigator, and instructor/coordinator, and he was awarded the South Carolina Order of Palmetto in 1993. During his law-enforcement career, he maintained his values through faith in God and a skill set that always exceeded requirements; and

Whereas, while Chief of the Williamston Police Department, he was appointed to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council by Governor Henry McMaster, graduated from the Riley Institute of Diversity and Leadership at Furman University, and authored Life Lessons Learned in Leadership; and

Whereas, together with his beloved wife of thirty-three years, Betty Jean Turner Taylor, he reared three fine children: Christian, Samaria, and Israel; and

Whereas, grateful for his many years of dedicated service to law enforcement, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pleasure in extending best wishes to Tony Taylor as he transitions to a richly deserved retirement and the leisurely pace of the days ahead, and the members wish him a very happy birthday and many years of enjoyment in his well-earned retirement as he retires on Saturday, January 28, 2023, and celebrates his sixtieth birthday.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Tony Taylor, Chief of the Williamston Police Department, upon the occasion of his retirement after more than three and a half decades of exemplary service, and to wish him a happy sixtieth birthday.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Williamston Police Chief Tony Taylor.

----XX----