ByWTOC Staff|July 30, 2020 at 1:06 PM EDT - Updated August 7 at 10:31 AM
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WTOC) - Beaufort Police Department Chief of Police Matthew James Clancy has passed away at age 56 after a long battle with cancer.
According to the City of Beaufort, Chief Clancy died of complications of neuroendocrine cancer on Wednesday, July 29, while surrounded by his family.
A post on the department’s Facebook page representing officers and staff said, “I speak for all members of our department when I say that we lost a great man and tremendous leader, but 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.”
Chief Clancy grew up in Long Island, New York. He graduated from The Citadel in 1986 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.
In 1993, he left the Marine Corps to begin a career in law enforcement. He joined the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office where he served as a deputy sheriff, corporal, and sergeant from 1993-97.
“Extraordinarily humble. He was quiet, he was not a tall man, but we stretched our necks looking up to him,” Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling said.
In 1997, Chief Clancy moved to the Beaufort Police Department where he served as a patrol officer, criminal investigator, investigative lieutenant, and deputy chief. In 2008, he was promoted to the position of chief.
Chief Clancy is survived by his wife, Lisa, and two sons, Tyler and Connor.
“He’s the ideal team player you want to have. He was a leader, and the only way I’d put it. He was a chief among chiefs,” Beaufort City Manager Bill Prokop said.
A public funeral service for Chief Clancy was held on Friday, Aug. 7 at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park stage (near the pavilion). The service began at 8:30 a.m., followed by the burial at Beaufort National Cemetery, which was closed to the public.
Re-watch the service below:
The marina parking lot will be closed to the public. Free parking is available throughout the city, including street parking and in these lots: the Port Republic Square parking lot at Charles and Craven streets, 500 Carteret Street, and the First Presbyterian Church at North and Newcastle streets. After the public service, the procession will proceed along Bay Street to Cateret and the cemetery.
Governor Henry McMaster asked that theflags in South Carolina be at half-staff Fridayin honor of Chief Clancy.
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