palmetto state law enforcement officers association history and

PALMETTO STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
HISTORY AND COMMEMORATION
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any informational
storage or retrieval system without written permission of the author and Palmetto State Law
Enforcement Officers Association. Request for permission to make copies should be mailed to
PSLEOA, P.O. Box 3948, Florence, SC 29502, www.psleoa.com.
Text copyright © 2008 PSLEOA
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
First edition
2
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
Acknowledgements
The history committee and author would like to acknowledge the contributors who pulled from their hearts,
archives, attics, and treasured memories the body of this book of history and commemoration. Were it not for
their dedication, memory and love for Palmetto State Law Enforcement Officers Association (PSLEOA) this
work could not have been written.
A special acknowledgement is given to those trailblazers who still live and to those who died before this book
was published.
Condolences to the family of Mrs. Ida Bell Singleton, and to her nephew, Rev. William Walker, who sent
priceless pictures and information his Aunt kept. They were her records, and now ours of her days as a member
and officer of PSLEOA. She died in November of 2007. Also, to the family of Mrs. Vangileen MayersEleazer, wife of one of the founders, George Eleazer, who unfortunately passed from this life in December of
2007, but who the author was fortunate enough to speak with, assuring her that her husband’s name would be
immortalized as a founder to this great Association in this book. To the wives of founders Marion Harrison and
Brantley Evans for their input and information about their husbands. To the family of Sergeant Robert L. China,
whose wife, Mrs. Thelma China and her sons gave the first interview relating the values and experiences of
their loved one who bravely stood with the beginning founders of this group. To the family of Israel Brooks, of
whom the author spoke with while he was in the hospital and was told “don’t start with me Mrs. Noble, go to
the source, and begin with Chief Copeland.” To the family of Lieutenant William “Bill” Chavis who willingly
poured his heart and resources into this organization because he believed in its cause and effect toward the black
officer. Lasts, but certainly not least, and of great importance was the input of the man whose father’s vision,
foresight, and dedication impacted the formidable organization of black officers within the state of SC, Mr.
Thomas Rudolph Abrams, son of Thomas Curtis “Fox” Abrams. He opened his heart and the treasured
scrapbook of his father documenting Patrolman Abrams career as Spartanburg’s first black policeman. He
shared his father’s vision for a spin off from the North Carolina Black Officers organization to the beginning of
the SC Negro Law Enforcement Officers Association, now known as PSLEOA. Sadly, Patrolman Abrams only
lived two and one-half months after successfully organizing this Association. For other deceased members not
mentioned here, a heartfelt gratitude and respect is shown on our Commemoration page.
We acknowledge our founders whom God has truly blessed and favored to still be among us and who gave
unselfishly of their time in interviews and countless phone conversations. We thank those who sent documents
that not only set the records straight, but showed their commitment, their belief in the Code of Ethics and their
obedience to the By-laws that has governed this organization from it’s beginning to where it is now. Special
thanks to Mrs. Cora Taylor, Chief Eugene “Pete” Copeland, Commander Jacob L. Irick, Sergeant Henry
Sweeney, Chief Robert Keith, Sergeant Azon Downs and all of the others within who are not named here but
gave the same and as much. Finally, to the former President Donald Butler and his administrative staff who
thought it important enough to have these treasures documented as a true witness of beginnings and continued
strength. Founders, without you, the clock would have been slower to move for those who now have the
privilege you afforded them. It is a work to be proud of. God Bless!
Disclaimer: There is a possibility, not intentional and of no disrespect, that some of the information in this book may
be omitted. Any information prior to Reconstruction is not included. Apologies are extended to those who are not
listed or pictured and/ or directly related to the history and commemoration of Palmetto State Law Enforcement
Officers Association.
3
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
Author’s Gratitude
The palest ink is better than a failed memory.
(Chinese Proverb)
It is with great honor and a profound sense of humbleness that I took the challenge to write about
this remarkable organization. This is black history and a unique part of SC’s history that does not
get talked about enough. Within these pages are the accounts of the beginning and continuation
of the Palmetto State Law Enforcement Officers Association. It is truly because of the involved
members love for their profession and dedication to this organization, that records and photos
from as far back as the very beginning, 1961 were kept. I am grateful they were loaned to me to
authenticate this book of history.
For me, there is a personal obligation for accepting this task, one that stirred up old memories and
that reminded me of the love I have for this group. The magnitude of documenting these facts
goes beyond what may have been forever lost. I knew what this book would mean. Hopefully it
will inspire new members to join and continue to make this an even greater group than it already
is. PSLEOA was a climbing point for my career in writing as well as it was and is for SC officers
who made history being a part of this great Association. My affiliation began in the mid 80s,
urged on by my good friend, USPD Officer Delores McCoy and her boss, Lieutenant John
Roundtree, both major recruiters at the time. I jumped at the opportunity to be a support for the
group as many believers in the cause did. I quickly displayed my talent and love of writing and
graphics and was very excited when asked to do the newsletter. I worked under President Sam
Jerideau and the late Emeritus Executive Director Bill Chavis. Becoming a member, afforded me
an opportunity to be among SC’s finest officers and politicians, attending the conferences,
interviewing leaders, photographing events and writing about their challenges and achievements.
Now, having interviewed the living founders and learned about others that worked to make this
association what it is has renewed my interest, gave me a new energy and an electrifying drive to
take it on. I am truly honored. All within these boundaries are real and true.
A very special thanks to the officers and their families for their contributions and for the
opportunity to serve you.
God Bless
Jerlean S. Noble
4
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
Table of Content
Dedication ......................................................................................................................6
Preamble & History Committee.....................................................................................7
An Officers’ Prayer (The Heart Behind the Badge) ......................................................8
Code of Ethics................................................................................................................9
History..........................................................................................................................11
A Growing Organization..............................................................................................22
Changing Times ...........................................................................................................41
Trailblazers ..................................................................................................................48
In Commemoration of............................................................................................ 98-99
PSLEOA State Presidents Past & Present .................................................................100
PSLEOA Advancements & Promotional Firsts.........................................................109
Today’s’ PSLEOA .....................................................................................................112
Events of PSLEOA ....................................................................................................115
A New Order..............................................................................................................122
Local Chapters ...........................................................................................................133
From the Heart (Chief Wendell Davis)......................................................................142
Conclusion .................................................................................................................143
Photo Gallery .............................................................................................................144
5
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
Dedication
“Be committed, be firm, and be fair”
Chief Eugene “Pete” Copeland
To those who bravely fought for the right to wear the badge and holster the gun of
lawfulness, and their families who stood behind them and now hold their memories like shields of
honor.
This history and commemoration is dedicated to the committed black men and women who
coordinated and structured the alliance then known as the South Carolina Negro Law
Enforcement Officers Association (SCNLEOA) to what it is today, Palmetto State Law
Enforcement Officers Association (PSLEOA).
It is a tribute to all who have made this organization great, and a true homage to those after
the likes of Patrolman Thomas Curtis “Fox” Abrams, Chief Eugene “Pete” Copeland, and
Commander Jacob. L. Irick, Sergeant Robert L. China, Patrolman George Eleazer and others. It
is also acknowledgement to those who fought and pushed open the doors of equal rights in law
enforcement in SC, and to those who came through those doors and still believe and practice the
standards and bylaws set forth by these God-appointed leaders. Moreover, these men and women,
then and now, are devoted to promote interest, encourage responsibility, enhance visibility and
establish a positive framework of loyalty with fellow officers.
Let it be known that this is only an eye opener to the devotion and dedication these
trailblazers fought to afford today’s officers. It has proven to be a passage into every law office
available in our country and abroad. Some of these men are still alive and their stories are told in
the pages that here unfold before you. While it is true that some began only as patrollers in the
black community, hence the term patrolman, and the phrase walking the beat, they stayed the
course gaining respect, loyalty and notoriety. Some of these men and women, because of their
tenacity, earned the highest offices offered in the law.
This is a dedication to the true pioneers.
Salute!
6
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Palmetto State Law Enforcement Officers’ Association, hereby form this
organization to enhance our visibility as African Americans, to promote impartial enforcement of
law and order: to improve the individual proficiency of our members in the performance of their
duties: to encourage social and educational activities among our members: to cultivate a spirit of
mutual helpfulness among all our membership and the people we serve: and to increase the
efficiency of the law enforcement/criminal justice system.
(http://www.psleoa.com/constitution2.php)
History Book Committee
Melody Wright – Chair
Loretta Davis – Co-Chair
Dorothy Jones-Beeks
Hugh China
Jacqueline Simmons
Joseph Gabe
7
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
THE HEART BEHIND THE BADGE
The heart behind the badge
you sometimes cannot see,
hidden beneath the surface,
comfort to only me.
I am sworn to serve and protect,
but obstacles get in the way,
the heart behind the badge
gives me courage to face the day.
Talking to an innocent child,
chasing a criminal down the road,
the heart behind the badge
carries stories that go untold.
The heart may be the passion
for the job that is at hand
God shining down upon me
He's the one who's in command
Compassion to deal with victims,
a strength to combat crime,
the heart behind the badge
is there for me each time.
A spouse or significant other,
a family to come home to
the heart behind the badge...
What does it mean to you?
Author Unknown
8
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind;
to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception,
the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against
violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all persons
to liberty, equality and justice.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain
courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule; develop selfrestraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in
thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary
in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department.
Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in
my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary
in the performance of my duty.
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices,
animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise
for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminal, I will enforce the law
courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never
employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept
it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police
service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals,
dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession...law enforcement.
9
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
(article retyped for better reading)
Abrams Named President of New Negro Police Group
(page 22 – Spartanburg Herald, Thursday, Oct. 5, 1961)
Spartanburg city policeman Fox Abrams has been named
president of the new South Carolina Negro Law
Enforcement Officers Association, which was organized
Wednesday in Columbia. Abrams is responsible for
forming the new group. He also is Vice President of the
North Carolina Association of Negro Lawmen, a post he
will hold until next year. The new South Carolina group
organized with 82 members. Abrams estimates there are
some 100 Negro policemen in South Carolina. He reported
Wednesday that the group’s state convention will be held in
Spartanburg June 20 and 21, 1962. At that time, he said an
effort will be made to merge the North Carolina and South
Carolina groups into one organization to be called the
Carolinas Negro Law Enforcement Officers Association.
The North Carolina organization has 218 members. Abrams
initiated action to organize the South Carolina group by
writing to the police departments employing Negro
policemen and asking that they meet with him in Columbia.
10
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
The Palmetto State Law Enforcement Officers Association is a non-profit organization devoted to
promote interest, encourage responsibility, enhance visibility and establish a positive framework
of loyalty with fellow officers. It takes strength in numbers and concentrated action to accomplish
anything worthwhile. We seek individuals who are willing to give more than dues to guarantee
the continuation of the PSLEOA as a viable, stable and productive organization. The PSLEOA is
a non-profit organization which does not discriminate in membership on the basis of race, sex,
religion or national origin. www.psleoa.com
History
The Conception
“Effective visions provide context, give purpose, and establish meaning. They inspire people to
mobilize, to act, and to move in the same direction… Every good leader realizes that effective
visions cannot be forced upon the masses. Rather they
must be set in motion by means of persuasion and
inspiration.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Patrolman Thomas Curtis “Fox” Abrams attended
meetings of an organized group of early black officers
in North Carolina. He, the first black policeman hired
in Spartanburg, SC, caught the vision and saw the need
of such an organization in SC. He was soon Vice
President of the North Carolina group. However, being
a South Carolina patrolman, he wanted the same type of organization for the black officers in his
own state. He wrote letters to the different law enforcement agencies within the state inquiring of
their employment of black policemen and women. He wanted to know who they were and how
many were employed at each particular precinct. He received many replies—surprising in that
black men were not very respected by white law officials at that time. But letters provided proved
they read and did answer Patrolman Abrams requests. He then began the task of contacting the
officers. Officer Francis Dogan was the only other black officer in the Spartanburg precinct and
became the first recruit. He then traveled through the cities and counties spreading the word
about the success of the North Carolina group to other hired black men and women officers in SC.
In October, together with Officer Abrams, they worked to form what is now the Palmetto State
Law Enforcement Officers Association.
11
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
T
he Palmetto State Law Enforcement Officers' Association was organized on October 4,
1961 in Columbia, South Carolina. The meeting was held at the Columbia Police
Department, located in downtown Columbia, on Lincoln Street. The purpose of the
association was to improve and increase the visibility, professional goals, and achievements of
black men and women in law enforcement within the Palmetto State. These sworn protectors
were and are dedicated officers, brave individuals who wanted to organize this then small band of
officers and women to assure their rights would not be violated under what they could control
under Jim Crow law. (The Jim Crow Laws were state and local laws enacted in the Southern and
border states of the United States and enforced between 1876 and 1965.) The laws mandated
"separate but equal" status for Black Americans. Legally it was required on paper that the
facilities provided should be equal, but they were not. This was a time when Jim Crow law was
practiced and affirmed by the southern government, it was also a tough time to be black officers
in SC.
According to one of PSLEOA’s first pioneers, Chief Eugene “Pete” Copeland, Patrolman Thomas
Fox Abrams of Spartanburg, SC, met with him as he did others and told him of the black officers
organization in North Carolina. The patrolman stated to Officer Copeland that he’d been
attending the North Carolina meetings for the past three years. The two men talked more and
Officer Copeland became more interested realizing this could be a gate opening, a chance to
change things—to change history and strengthen their positions as officers in the state of SC. He
understood even more how unfair it was to be token blacks in a productive field that required a
dedication to preserve and uphold the law of the land, a law that didn’t provide the same equal
protection to them or their families. They talked and weighed the strength that could be gained.
They weighted the voice that would have to be heard if they organized the black officers in South
Carolina like the officers in North Carolina. This was a good thing at a good time. Civil Rights
were on the move and the embers of injustice were coming together in a flame that would soon be
a blaze.
Officer Abrams went back to Spartanburg, contacting and writing letters to other black officers in
each department within the state that he knew employed black officers. He told them about the
idea of a new organization for black officers only. He asked the Chiefs of these departments to
12
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
allow the officers to attend a meeting. He told them the date of the expected gathering and that it
would be in Columbia, SC. Out of all of the officers contacted, eleven male officers and five
female crossing guards attended and made history. Chief Copeland said,
“We didn’t really know what to look for or what to do in the first meeting. We knew we
needed to know how many departments had black officers and by knowing, if we could
expand on what we had.”
Some departments that were set in their ways didn’t
want to give in--and they didn’t. They did not want the
blacks to form any kind of organization of their own.
They knew there was strength in number and if they
strengthened, putting their thoughts and convictions
together, they could probably overcome the tyranny they
were subject to under the southern white rule for black
officers. Sergeant Abrams told the group what they’d
been doing in North Carolina and that they would work
to do the same things here to get this association going.
They all identified themselves; stating where they were
from and what departments they worked in. They then
proceeded with discussions of what to do, talking about
how they were treated and what they could do to make
things better. It was evident there was a feeling of pride
in knowing that this Association was a good thing. Ideas
were born and projected, future plans were laid out. The
Newspaper clipping about Abrams being
voted to Vice President in the NC group
and his desire to bring in the SC officers,
though it ended up with SC having its
own group.
elected officers prayed and adjourned, making
strategies and goals for the next anticipated meeting.
Word traveled quickly to other towns in South
Carolina that employed black officers. They begin to
meet and fortify becoming larger and larger making
13
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
the South Carolina Negro Law Enforcement Officers Association a force to be reckoned with.
Decisions Determine Destiny
It was definitely destiny in the making that guided Sergeant Abrams’ drive and
determination, as well as his car through the towns and streets of South Carolina convincing
officers to come together to form PSLEOA. As well it was a bulk mailing of letters to various
Law Enforcement divisions inquiring of their quota of black hire as officers. It was most
definitely in God’s plan that he first be a part of the North Carolina group which ended up being
the catalyst for the idea of the South Carolina group. This led to him meeting officers like Chief
Eugene Copeland, of Bennettsville, Sgt Henry Sweeney. of Greenville, Sergeant George Eleazer
of Columbia, Sergeant Robert China of Sumter, Commander Jacob Irick, Orangeburg and others;
telling them of the already organized Negro officers group in North Carolina and of its success.
Certainly the fire was fanned as Sergeant Abrams persuaded these officers by phone or letter, that
they could gain better employment benefits in their positions in this governing body. They could
definitely become stronger against the chords of southern hatred, bigotry and unfairness. In all
fairness, bringing the association to life was a way to fight back and succeed against racial
inequality and undue injustice within the realm of employment in the South Carolina correctional
jurisdiction. Perhaps he told them that this was their destiny and the future of their children as
well as their community, and, in fact it was. He planted the seed and the founders watered and
nurtured it from the roots to build a sound foundation. They harvested a powerful crop gaining
something bigger than anything they’d ever imagined. Though the article written about the
Organization (page 10), the day after the meeting indicates that there were 82 members signed up,
only a few (records indicate eleven sworn officers) actually showed up for the meeting in the
basement of the Columbia Police Department, notwithstanding the supportive women that joined
and attended that were not sworn officers.
Present were: Thomas Curtis “Fox” Abrams, Spartanburg; George L. Eleazer, Columbia;
Jacob. L. Irick, Orangeburg; Luther M. McKnight, Lake City; William. F. Burke, Charleston;
Robert L. China, Sumter; Eugene Copeland, Bennettsville; Francis Dogan, Spartanburg; Philip L.
Brown, Myrtle Beach; John. B. Linen; Beaufort and Leo Hawkins, Florence. The women
14
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
attending were Mrs. Cora Taylor, Mrs. Ruby Epps, Mrs. Mattie L. Nichols, and Mrs. Inez Jones
all of Spartanburg, as well as Mrs. Ida Bell Singleton of Georgetown.
As time passed, those that could meet, did meet and brought others along to join. They bonded on
a common cause of justice and equality and they didn’t fail--they just grew stronger. Azon
Downs, former State Business Manager, said “meeting together also provided a forum to voice
grievances that the officers were experiencing in their various departments. It provided a
comfortable zone to problem solve among like peers.”
Unfortunately, Sergeant Fox Abrams life was cut short by a gunman’s bullet while in the line of
duty. Though opposition and racial intolerance still prevailed in the towns and county seats of
South Carolina, he lit a fire that was not to be quenched. At his funeral, his comrades gathered to
pay their respects and to celebrate a man whose beliefs and faith led him to want more for his
fellow officers. He knew if they united as an association, they could and would overcome.
Being an organized group definitely allowed for hope, for change within the system, and some
equality among the ranks of black officer with white law officials. It was surely nothing that
happened over night. Unquestionably, at best, it would not affect what little rights the black
officer had in his job nor infringe on the overall rights the white officer had in his. However, this
group of unstoppable men would still stir up and cause to come to pass more rights than the black
officers in South Carolina ever had before or could have imagined before being organized. It was
a meeting of the minds and the beginning of an organization that has lasted 46 years.
There was a lot of opposition and unjust bigotry to overcome if they were to commit themselves
to serve and be civil servants to their race, their communities, and their state as officers of South
Carolina. For instance, black officers in South Carolina were not issued state cruisers, and in
some cities or counties could not arrest anyone, black or white. They were no more than baby
sitters for the black community who reported to the white law authorities when something or
someone in the neighborhood or patrolling area misbehaved.
This superiority led to racial mistreatment and accommodations that were almost always inferior
to those provided to white officers. To the white officer, it didn’t matter if the black man wore a
15
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
metal badge of the law, dressed in the uniform of an officer, carried a gun and a stick proclaiming
his authority of justice and order—to them, he was still nothing more or less than a “colored”
pawn to be moved and manipulated by them. Not every white officer felt that way, but for the
most part, the majority of these men were set in their ways because they were caught up in a time
band passed down from generation to generation of Bible belt self-made righteous extremists.
They’d ruled for so long that the South was like a dynasty with the laws written to benefit whites
only. Change, of course did come, and it wasn’t the stew that was originally put in the pot. It
would take patience, humiliation and a lot of prayer on the black officer’s part and all the South
Carolina Negro Law Enforcement Officers Association had to do was stick together as a unit and
wait until the dark clouds passed.
Below the table shows the location of some South Carolina cities, like Columbia, Beaufort,
Conway, Florence, Marion, Lake City and Sumter, where the black officer could only patrol black
neighborhoods. It was only in Charleston, Beaufort, and Marion Counties, that they could patrol
both black and white areas. However, in five of the named cities they could not arrest anyone.
CURRENT TRENDS AND EVENTS
Arrest Power – Southern Negro Police and the white Offender
City
Beaufort, SC
Beaufort County, SC
Charleston, SC
Columbia, SC
Conway, SC
Florence, SC
Lake City, SC
Marion, SC
Sumter, SC
Timmonsville, SC
Spartanburg, SC
Negro
Patrol Negro
Police Neighborhoods
Arrest Power
in Late
Only
1959
1
Yes
Call white police who arrest
1
Yes
Arrest white offender
12
No
Arrest white offender
4
Yes
Call white police who arrest
2
Yes
Call white police who arrest
3
Yes
Call white police who arrest
1
Yes
Call white police who arrest
3
Yes
Arrest white man in felony case
3
Yes
Arrest
1
Yes
Answer Unclear
2
Yes
Arrest white offender
16
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
In cities where they were allowed to arrest a white
offender, black officers were put at a disadvantage
should the white offender be armed or physically
violent. They were on foot, no cruiser to chase or
help subdue the criminal(s), and no radios to call for
help. Most often, especially in the beginning days,
officers acted alone and had no way to call the white
officers to make the arrest because no one would
allow them in their homes to use the telephones. The
only means of telecommunication was by way of call
boxes usually located on telephone poles. In the
black community however, whether they did or did
Fox Abrams settling a dispute in one of his
patrolled neighborhoods, Spartanburg, SC. (Picture
provided by Rudolph Abrams).
not have arrest powers, they had to show authority. Therefore many took on the role of being
forceful which may have been taken to be arrogant, big headed, and “Uncle Toms” (Uncle Tom is
an African American who is perceived by others as behaving in a subservient manner to White
American authority figures, or as seeking favor with them by way of unnecessary submissiveness)
by some. But the black officers had to show they had what it took to gain the respect the white
officers received from the beginning. However many knew unfortunately, they were there to
protect themselves more so against the hatred which some of the white officers still showed. It
had to be that way. But the black officer was ever mindful of his people and his community.
Contrary to thought, they did not forget where they came from.
It was hard all over. One of the trailblazers was Sergeant Robert L.
China, the third elected President of SCNLEOA. His beginnings were
simple and his faith in God and the South Carolina Negro Law
Enforcement Officers Association was strong. Sergeant China’s wife,
Mrs. Thelma E. China, said of her late husband, “My husband began his
career in 1953. He was a good husband and father who took his job
seriously. He put his life on the line for me, our five sons and three
daughters as well as the people he was sworn to protect. We were scared
Robert L. China
every time he walked out that door, his gun strapped to his side. He was a proud man who
17
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
worked tirelessly for 26 years as an officer for the Sumter Police Department. His beat was
Manning Avenue. Everybody knew Sergeant China.” She spoke of how she would fix his lunch
and carry it to him in the one room substation behind Hedley’s Shoe repair. If he had to call in a
problem, he had to use the call box (phone) on the telegram pole. He believed in the vision of the
new organization. He believed in fairness for his fellow officers and that his destiny was to help
make it happen. In his term as President of PSLEOA, he wrote in the Third Annual Convention’s
booklet:
“I wish to thank all those who have helped so ably, and untiringly in making this year the
success it has been. I realize that the many strides that were made could not have been
accomplished without your support.”
He signed it, Yours for the cause, R. L. China, Patrolman, Sumter, SC.
These men and others honored in this book were brave and sure of their calling. There was
nothing and no one who would stand in their paths to achieve what they had set out to do. Amid
peering eyes and stares from merchant stores and inquisitive passerby’s they gathered this cold
morning of October 4, 1961, dressed in their pressed and creased uniforms. Also in attendance
were the ladies in their school crossing guards’ attire
Coming from different counties and cities, those who did attend did so because the heads of their
departments or chiefs allowed them to participate. Commander Jacob Irick of the South Carolina
State College Police Department said, “People were looking out of their doors, coming out,
staring at us like they were looking at a parade.”
According to Sergeant Eleazer’s daughter, Mrs. Delores Eleazer Carter, her dad said the
Columbia Police Department did not want them to have their meeting there. But, they couldn’t
stop them because of the federal law-- probably the law regarding Freedom of Assembly--which is
the freedom to take part in any gathering that one wishes. It is upheld as a key right in liberal
democracies, whereby citizens may gather and express their views without government
restrictions. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_assembly).
18
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
For good reason the white Chiefs and/or officials of authority felt no harm could be done by a few
Negros getting together in hopes of organizing any type of powerful group. After all, it was
thought blacks would never stick together for any length of time to form any significant society
such as this one turned out to be. However, these were a determined set of sworn men and
supportive women who made their way to Columbia on that October morning. Little did their
counterparts know the worth of this first meeting—the resolve of these black law men as they
joined forces and became the South Carolina Negro Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Patrolman Abrams acted as spokesman and called the meeting to order. He stated:
“The purpose of this meeting is organization, to benefit and work better in our capacity as
members of the Law Enforcement Personnel in the State of South Carolina and to care for
our own personal interest as a group in working with members of the Negro Law
Enforcement Officers Association already in each city.”
According to the First minutes, the elected officers were as follows:
Patrolman Thomas Fox Abrams, President, Spartanburg
Patrolman G.L. Eleazer, Vice President, Columbia
Patrolman J. L. Irick, Secretary-Treasurer, Orangeburg
Patrolman L. M. McKnight, Chaplain, Lake City
Patrolman W. F. Burke, Parliamentarian, Charleston
See Figure 1: First minutes set forth for the South Carolina Negro Law Enforcement Officers
Association (SCNLEOA)
19
PSLEOA History & Commemoration
Figure 1
20