It has been 12 years since Aiken County Public Safety Officers Scotty Richardson and Sandy Rogers were killed in the line of duty, but family, friends, and colleagues keep their memories alive.
On Dec. 20, 2011, Master Public Safety Officer Scotty Richardson was shot and killed during a traffic stop just five days before Christmas. One month later, on Jan. 28, 2012, Master Cpl. Sandy Rogers was also shot and killed during a traffic stop.The University of South Carolina Aiken remains determined to honor Scotty and Sandy after hosting the first annual Spirit Run on Feb. 24, with proceeds from the 5K and fun run benefiting the Rogers and Richardson Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is available to students pursuing careers in criminal justice. "Any race that sponsors a fallen hero the benefit outweighs the pain of running," Robin McGee, 5K racer said. More than 100 people from the Aiken community participated in this weekend's race.
"Something like this would make Scotty proud. Knowing [the Spirit Run] supports a good cause and benefits someone's education would make him proud," said Ken Richardson, Scotty Richardson's brother.
Remembering Scotty
Born and raised in Aiken, Scotty knew that law enforcement was his passion after graduating from South Aiken High School in 1996. "He floored us because no one in our family worked in law enforcement but we knew that's what he wanted to do," Ken explained. "I couldn't see him doing anything else."
Ken said that he and his brother had a great friendship even though they were only eight years apart."We always had each other's backs. We had a good relationship most brothers don't have."
After graduating from high school, Scotty started his career as a cadet with the City of Aiken Department of Public Safety while majoring in criminology at USCA.
Dr. Christine Wernet, chair of the Sociology Department at USCA, taught Scotty as a student. "He was very quiet," she said. "He was respectful and attentively following what I was saying."
Wernet expressed the significance of the Spirit Run as a dedicated initiative to support students. She hopes the event will keep Scotty and Kim's memory alive. "It's a fitting tribute to fallen officers who meant so much to Aiken County," she said. "I'm excited to have another scholarship to offer students."
"People say it's a calling but law enforcement was all he wanted to do. There was nothing else." – Amelyn Richardson, Scotty Richardson's wife"When I met Scotty, he was a fireman," said Amelyn. "After he graduated, he then moved to Florida to be with me."
Amelyn and Scotty first met in 2002 and share three sons. "They believe their dad was a hero," she said. "They try to do things that they know would make him proud."
To keep her late husband's legacy alive, Amelyn serves as treasurer of the local charitable organization Beside the Badge in Aiken. The non-profit gives to ADPS children and adopted families who are struggling throughout the year.
South Aiken High School, Scotty's alma mater, also offers a scholarship in his memory - the Scotty Richardson Memorial Scholarship.
Remembering Sandy
Frances Williams, a retired ADPS officer since 2017, worked and dated Sandy for 27 years. Sandy worked with ADPS for 23 years before she died in 2012. She was the first female officer to be killed while on duty in South Carolina history.
"Feb. 2 would have been our anniversary." – WilliamsSandy grew up with her two brothers and sister in Aiken and had a love for law enforcement and firefighting. "She was a mother hen to her shift, and everybody deferred to her, even the supervisors on occasion," Williams said.
Williams started to laugh a bit as she recalled the fun times she and Sandy would share. "We always went to women's basketball games together," she said. "She was a Clemson fan, and we always went to [University of South Carolina] games."
Both loved the thrill of riding motorcycles and entertaining guests in their homes. "She would just stand at the bar, making drinks for people and it was always funny to see," Williams said.
Sandy was a champion for kids and Williams said that USCA's scholarship will be a legacy that will live on for both Sandy and Scotty.
"She was the life of the party." - Jenny Johnson, Sandy's Sister"The last big trip we took was to see a show overseas," Jenny said. "She wouldn't have wanted a race in her name but I'm glad that USCA is doing this because she wouldn't have wanted to be forgotten."
For more information, contact Angela Saxon - angela.saxon@usca.edu