Public Memorial Service honoring Beaufort Police Chief Matt Clancy

Honoring the beloved and respected Beaufort Police Chief, Matthew Clancy 

Beaufort’s Police Chief for over 10 years, Matthew Clancy, lost his battle with cancer this past Wednesday, July 29. To honor his memory, his family will be holding a public memorial service at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, August 7, 2020.

  •  Where: Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park; as the Marina parking lot will be closed to the public at this time, attendees are asked to park at Port Republic Square parking lot (809 Port Republic Street), 500 Carteret Street and the First Presbyterian Church (410 Church Street).
  • When: 8:30 a.m., Friday, August 7; the public is asked to arrive no later than 8:25 a.m. The service is expected to conclude at 9:40 a.m.
  • COVID-19 Precautions: the couple of hundred chairs at the service will be socially distant, and if attendees bring their own chairs, they will be asked to sit further back and adhere to social distancing guidelines. The public is asked to wear masks.
    The service will also be live-streamed on the City of Beaufort’s Facebook page and shown on the Beaufort County Channel. 
  • Further notes: the Funeral procession will proceed to the Beaufort National Cemetery from 9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. Please be advised that this will interfere with traffic on Bay, Carteret, and Boundary Streets.

    Members of the public can also pay their respects at the visitation, which will be held from 2 p.m – 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at Anderson Funeral Home (611 Robert Smalls Parkway). Fifteen guests at a time will be allowed into the building.

 

Police Chief Matt Clancy, Courtesy of Beaufort Police Department

A  simple post announcing the chief’s passing on the police department’s Facebook page on Wednesday, read “… We are better men and women for having had the opportunity to have worked alongside him. Chief Clancy, it is your time to rest. We will take it from here.”

His Legacy

The father of two served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1986, when he graduated from The Citadel as a commissioned officer, to 1993 and served at Quantico, Camp Lejeune, NC, Okinawa, and Parris Island, SC. While in the Corps, he obtained the rank of Captain.

His career in law enforcement began in 1993 with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department. Drawing on his dedication and commitment learned in the Corps, Chief Clancy graduated first in his class from the police academy. He was also a leader not afraid to take on the duties of his charges, participating at every level without wavering, and even going so far as to never forget a birthday. 

Chief Clancy was promoted to Chief of Police in 2009, and over the course of his tenure championed numerous educational programs, including the “Leading by Legacy Program” and the South Carolina Diversity Leadership Initiative. 

Chief Clancy was also a faithful member of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints and further served the community through his involvement in youth programs and service roles throughout the church.

Chief Matthew Clancy Criminal Justice Leadership Scholarship at TCL

To honor Chief Clancy’s commitment to education, service and leadership, his family has established the Chief Matthew Clancy Criminal Justice Leadership Scholarship at the Technical College of the Lowcountry. The scholarship will provide financial support for educational expenses for a student with a demonstrated commitment to community policing who is enrolled in the Criminal Justice Program at the Technical College of the Lowcountry.

His family commented, “It is our desire for this fund to enable the Chief’s spirit of service to live on in the next generation of law enforcement officers.”

In lieu of flowers, the family asks those to consider donating to the Chief Matthew Clancy Criminal Justice Leadership Scholarship. Follow this link to read about the various ways to go about donating and contributing, along with resources for questions and/or further information. 

 


Article by ESPB Editor, Allie Moorman

Featured photo by Lisa Clancy / Facebook