TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR PATROLMAN FIRST CLASS CHRIS SMITH OF THE MYRTLE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE FORCE AND TO HIS SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON BEING NAMED THE MYRTLE BEACH ROTARY CLUB 2015 OFFICER JOE MCGARRY MEMORIAL POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn that Patrolman First Class (Pfc.) Chris Smith has been selected as Myrtle Beach Rotary Club Officer Joe McGarry Memorial Police Officer of the Year for 2015; and

Whereas, currently assigned to the Street Crimes Unit as a canine (K-9) handler, Pfc. Smith displays the character and morals upon which this award was founded and works with his K-9 partner, Allie, to be great ambassadors for the City of Myrtle Beach; and

Whereas, a K-9 handler and a member of the SWAT team, Pfc. Smith deployed K-9 Allie one hundred two times during 2014 for criminal investigations, part of which he used her to "search" seventy-nine vehicles, exposing drugs in fifty-five of them. This K-9 team was responsible for finding some ten pounds of marijuana; four grams of cocaine, twenty-six of crack, and thirteen of heroin; five ounces of methamphetamine; and twenty-one finds of other drugs; and

Whereas, Pfc. Smith was awarded the "Gold Shield Award" from the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association for his exceptional work on a case in March 2014 following four armed robberies in Myrtle Beach in which the suspects had been identified but not located. Pfc. Smith used investigative resources to ascertain a possible location for the suspects in Horry County outside the jurisdiction of the Myrtle Beach Police Department, obtained permission to check the location, and after he located the suspect's vehicle and notified the county police department, he assisted in apprehending the two suspects. The detectives procured a search warrant for the house and uncovered pieces of stolen property, linking the suspects with the robberies; and

Whereas, after an almost perfect score on the latest re-certification test, the team was asked to assist a Drug Enforcement Unit agent at a package shipping facility in January 2014. K-9 Allie sniffed several packages, giving a trained sit and stare for only one package. Her positive alert obtained a search warrant for the package which contained almost seven and a half pounds of marijuana; and

Whereas, Pfc. Smith enjoys fulfilling requests to the department for the K-9 team to attend community events because he understands the need to have strong relationships with the public he serves and to showcase the outstanding work of the police department; and

Whereas, also serving as the department's liaison to the Booker T. Washington Neighborhood Watch, he attends all the meetings and works to address concerns. He establishes trust among those who attend by listening intently and following up on their concerns; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives appreciates Patrolman First Class Chris Smith's dedicated service in protecting the citizens of Horry County and the State of South Carolina, as well as visitors to our great State, and the members congratulate him on receiving this well-deserved award. 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 Patrolman First Class Chris Smith of the Myrtle Beach Police Department for outstanding service to the force and to his surrounding community and congratulate him on being named the Myrtle Beach Rotary Club 2015 Officer Joe McGarry Memorial Police Officer of the Year.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Patrolman First Class Chris Smith.