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Officer Drew Barr with the Cayce Police Department in Cayce, SC was a true hero. After he was shot in the line of duty in 2017, he continued to serve his community bravely and selflessly. We are heartbroken to share that on Sunday, April 24, 2022, Officer Barr gave the ultimate sacrifice when he was shot and killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance. We join alongside those who mourn this tragic loss and uplift his legacy and life of service to others.

Here’s How You Can Help

The City of Cayce Police Department and their officers are so grateful for your kind words, prayers, and offers to assist with meals and donations.

 They asked us to share a few ways that you can help through this difficult time:

Children can send cards. Sometimes the words “We thank you for your service,” or “Thank you for keeping me safe,” are incredibly powerful; especially to those who risk their lives for us each day. You can mail cards to:

Cayce Police Department
1800 12th Street
Cayce, SC 29033

 If you wish to make a financial donation, you can donate to:

Cayce Public Safety Foundation
In Honor of Officer Drew Barr
1800 12th Street
Cayce, SC 29033
https://www.caycepsf.org/

 You can also donate in support of something Officer Barr was particularly passionate about Molly and the K9 Officers of the Midlands.

• This photo that has been shared across the nation of Officer Barr and Molly was recently taken for a K9 Fundraiser that will take place on Saturday, April 30 at Steel Hands (2350 Foreman Street in Cayce) from 1-6 p.m.

• The Steel Paws Initiative will kick off this Saturday and provide year-round support for canine initiatives focused on Public Safety, Special Needs, Public Service and Rescue/Shelters.

Last but not least, please continue to share the news of the impact that Officer Barr’s service and dedication had on the law enforcement profession and on the people of Lexington County.

Funeral Arrangements

The Cayce Police Department, and the Barr family, announce the funeral arrangements for Senior Police Officer Roy “Drew” Barr EOW April 24, 2022.

The following are the details are for Thursday April 28, 2022:

• The visitation will be held 3-4:45 p.m. at Batesburg-Leesville High School located at 600 Summerland Avenue, Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina 29006.

• The funeral service will be held 5 p.m. at Batesburg-Leesville High School located at 600 Summerland Avenue, Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina 29006.

• The graveside service will be held immediately following the service at Mt. Ebal Baptist Church located at 5 Lion Loop, Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina 29006.

To the friends, family, fellow officers, and all those who grieve Officer Barr, our hearts go out to you during this tragic time. We lift you up today, tomorrow, and in the weeks and months to follow. His legacy of service will never be forgotten.

Help Serve & Connect receive a $25,000 grant from State Farm!

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of State Farm® in 2022, State Farm Neighborhood Assist® is awarding more grant dollars than ever before. They are making a big impact by helping 100 causes win $25,000 in grants.

What you can do!

• Vote today and tomorrow and every day until May 6! You get 10 votes per day.

• Share with your friends and family and ask them to do the same!

Thank you for your support!

(March 10, 2022) – With funding support from Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Serve & Connect announces the development of a community policing portal. The technology will be developed under the guidance of a multidisciplinary workgroup led by South Carolina police officers, community leaders and Serve & Connect, an SC-based nonprofit focused on bringing police and citizens together to address the root causes of crime and promote community safety.

“Community policing is critical for promoting public trust and safety,” says Dr. Kassy Alia Ray, Serve & Connect’s founder and CEO. “However, there are limited tools available for monitoring use of community policing. We want to be a part of finding resources that support officers when they are in the field so they have modern tools that elevate community policing.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systemic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder and fear of crime.

“In the Midlands, law enforcement has our back, and I want them to know that we have theirs,” said Nephron CEO Lou Kennedy. “One way we can show law enforcement just how much we value their work is to equip them – and members of the community – with the tools needed to strengthen the relationship between officers, and the people they protect. Nephron is proud to join Serve & Connect in providing critical new resources to law enforcement for community policing, aimed at improving public safety outcomes. We can and will make the Midlands an even safer place to live, work and raise a family.”

Alia Ray believes that by investing in technology, law enforcement agencies can have the support needed to monitor their work, as well as support a broader understanding of how community policing relates to outcomes related to public safety.

More than a dozen law enforcement leaders and community leaders from across the state will compose a workgroup that will begin developing the initial structure of the community policing monitoring tool. The workgroup will be responsible for providing expertise and guidance to ensure usability, optimal adoption and create value for officers and departments.

The workgroup is chaired by City of Columbia Police Chief William “Skip” Holbrook. “As part of the Columbia Police Department’s 21st Century Policing efforts, we stand on a strong community-oriented policing foundation,” shared Chief Holbrook. “The web-based portal will allow us and partner law enforcement agencies to monitor community connection efforts and gain positive and effective impacts.”

The plan is for the technology to provide external reporting for transparency and trust-building, as well as support ongoing research and evaluation related to community policing.

In addition to statewide representation, Alia Ray says that national experts will be pulled in as needed. The initial structure of the web-based portal will take place across a 6-month development period with a goal to have a pilot that can be tested at the end of the development period. The first meeting took place on March 10, 2022.

The workgroup will consist of:

Police Representatives

• Chief Skip Holbrook (Chair), Columbia Police Department

• Chief Terrence Green, Lexington Police Department

• Sheriff Max Dorsey, Chester County Sheriff’s Office

• Chief Amy Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department

• Chief Charles Austin, Orangeburg Department of Public Safety

• Chief Tony Taylor, Williamston Police Department

Community Representatives

• Mr. Seth Stoughton, Professor, University of South Carolina School of Law

• Ms. Angela McDuffie, CEO, Midlands Fatherhood Coalition

• Mr. James Gates, Chapter President, Lexington County NAACP

• Mr. Jerry Blassingame, Founder and CEO, Soteria CDC

• Pastor Thomas Bell, Cathedral of Praise Ministries

• Ms. Felicia Dauway, Department of Juvenile Justice

Media Coverage:

• ABC Columbia – Serve & Connect creates community policing app

• Columbia Regional Business Report – New app to help measure effectiveness of community policing

• The Post and Courier – Columbia nonprofit developing web app to track SC community policing efforts

• Lexington Chronicle – Nephron Backs Statewide SC Community Policing Portal With $10K Donation

• WLTX – Community policing app coming to South Carolina

• WACH – Law enforcement groups work to track community policing efforts

Fact Sheet:

To learn more about this initiative, download our fact sheet.

Questions?

Contact Kassy Alia Ray at kassy@serveandconnect.org.

Serve & Connect will host its annual fundraiser, the Illuminight Gala, on March 18 at 800 Junction in downtown Columbia. The nonprofit’s signature fundraising event celebrates the organization’s mission, including the presentation of the Greg Alia Award and the Changemaker Award. This year’s event is presented by The City of Forest Acres.

This year’s Illuminight Gala will feature special guest and keynote speaker Chris Singleton, a best-selling author and former Chicago Cubs-drafted baseball player. Singleton will speak about the power of love over hate. Singleton’s mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was one of the nine victims in the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015.

“We believe in the power of people to drive change. We believe that people are capable of accomplishing great things, especially when we work together,” shares Kassy Alia Ray, founder and CEO of Serve & Connect. “I remain amazed at the level of change we have witnessed in such a relatively short time. The Illuminight Gala is our way to shed light on our community’s efforts and hope for what’s to come. To have Chris join us is such an honor. His message is powerful and one that is critically important for us to hear.”

Guests will also enjoy live entertainment from The Mickens Band, catering by The Southern Way, open bar and wine donated by Josh Wines, and more.

Serve & Connect is offering guests multiple event packages, including tables and individual tickets. Those interested in purchasing tickets to the gala can do so online at ServeAndConnect.org/Illuminight. Sponsorship levels are available to individuals and businesses interested in showing additional support to the event.

Serve & Connect has brought together dozens of community leaders, local businesses and law enforcement officials to collaborate to reduce crime and improve safety. Serve & Connect’s evidence-informed work conducted in North Columbia has led to an expansion of similar programs in Kershaw, Newberry, Fairfield and Orangeburg counties. Serve & Connect has also been recognized for its work by national organizations and media outlets, including The Stand Together Foundation, Time magazine, the “Today” show, and many others.

The North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative (NCYEI) is partnering with the City of Columbia, Columbia Police Department, Richland County and Richland County Sheriff’s Department to host the upcoming 2022 Empowerment for Peace Walk. The walk has a theme centered around “Restore the Village.” The multi-community awareness event will highlight local youth leadership and encourage community support in promoting peace over violence.

In addition to the parties mentioned above, NCYEI is partnering with the following organizations: Mutual Aid Midlands, City of Refuge, Between Us Queens, LLC., My Sister’s Voice, Booker Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, Voice to The Voiceless, North Columbia Community Care Closet, Palmetto Pride, Richland County Neighborhood Improvement Program, Men of Definition, Inc, CFEC – Carolina Family Engagement Center and Center for Community Health Alignment.

This community-wide gathering will be held on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, with starting locations positioned in the Bayberry Mews and Palmetto Terrace neighborhoods. Event participants will gather at the basketball court on Lester Drive and Berry Shell Drive or the James Clyburn Golf Center on Slighs Avenue and Columbia Court, respectively. Serve & Connect is encouraging North Columbia’s local youths to participate in this year’s demonstration.

The Empowerment for Peace Walk will begin at noon with a community sign-making event for attendees, followed by opening prayers at 2 p.m. at the walk’s two starting locations. After which, the groups will depart along their designated routes to meet in the middle for a closing ceremony and community resource fair located at Columbia’s KM Bellfield Center.

“I am incredibly proud of all our community has been able to accomplish by coming together to understand and work with one another,” shares Omari Fox, lead community organizer of Serve & Connect. “By taking that extra step to really focus on our relationships and the lives of those around us, North Columbia is setting an example for the progress we can make when we choose cooperation over conflict. This event is an excellent entry point for those looking to get involved in their community’s transformation, especially our younger neighbors who are growing up here.”

North Columbia spans approximately 63 square miles and has nearly 40,000 residents. In the community, 82 percent of residents identify as Black or African American. The median household income for the community is nearly 30 percent less than the state’s median income, and 33 percent of the residents live below the federal poverty line (compared with the national average of 12.3%).

Launched in 2018, Serve & Connect’s NYCEI, a program dedicated to amplifying and creating safe and thriving North Columbia neighborhoods, was established in a joint effort with the Columbia Police Department and Parks & Recreation. NYCEI is a comprehensive community effort intended to create a model for use across the country.

“Every opportunity we have to strengthen the bond between our communities and law enforcement is an opportunity worth embracing,” says Sheriff Leon Lott of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. “Our communities are stronger and safer when we all act as one.”

As an extension of Serve & Connect, the NYCEI serves to continue the organization’s mission of coordination and strategic alignment among groups already making a difference in the lives of North Columbia’s neighborhood children. Together with community leaders, Serve & Connect has focused on bringing forth positive change through sustainable police-community partnerships in North Columbia. The evidence-informed work conducted in North Columbia has led to an expansion of similar programs in Kershaw, Lexington, Fairfield and Orangeburg counties.

ABOUT NORTH COLUMBIA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

The North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative was established in collaboration with the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Serve & Connect and community leaders to foster police and community partnerships that empower the lives of neighborhood children and youth in the 29203 region. The initiative is funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

We believe communities thrive when the citizens who live within are supported and lifted up. One way we do that is through our Community Closet, which works directly with neighborhood leaders to identify and support people in need. Over the holidays, Claressa, a member of our team, was able to assist six families in Columbia through the Community Closet. Read more about this experience in her letter to Greg Alia below.

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Dear Greg,

I know that heaven is amazing, but I need a favor. I need you to ask God to install a peephole to see the lives you touch through Serve & Connect in your honor.

The last couple of days has been most fulfilled by putting smiles on families’ faces during the holiday season. As a team, AJ and I worked with neighborhood leaders to identify six families to bring holiday cheer.

The first family we helped was a lady that has stage 4 cancer. Earlier this year during the pandemic, she lost everything she owned because of health issues. We surprised her with a new living room suite and household items for each one of her rooms in her new apartment. Greg, you should have seen the tears she shed because she couldn’t believe how beautiful her new home was. She said that she’s forever grateful because we thought about her.

The next family we supported was a mother of 11 children and a recovering addict. Ms. Nikki was transferred to a new 4-bathroom apartment, new everything! We surprised her with a new living room suite, beds for all her children and household goods for each of her rooms. She made two requests and we had to honor them! Her requests were a microwave and some yellow Crocs for her oldest daughter. Greg, we did just that. The family was so happy they were all crying in disbelief that all these things were for them. She shed tears because she couldn’t believe how beautiful her new home looked. She said we have given her a second chance to be a mother to her kids and she will not let us down.

Another family we helped was a teenage mom, Aretha. Aretha’s world had changed once her boyfriend overdosed in front of her and her 18-month-old son. We surprised her with new shoes, comforters, and household goods for each one of her rooms. We also supported her with gas and food for the week. She was so happy because she would have lost her job if we weren’t there for support.

Our last family made me remember why we’re committed to this mission. Janeshia was put out of her home earlier this year. To help others, she gave away all her furniture. Last week, she attended our community meeting and she cried because she didn’t have to worry about how she would feed her children that night. She moved back to the apartment complex and started completely over. We surprised her with a mini-refrigerator, household goods for each one of her rooms, and brand-new shoes. Janeshia walked in wearing some old shoes that were given to her in a shelter. I asked her, “If you had one wish what would it be?”. She said, “New shoes.” We did just that.

We learned from this experience that walking in someone else’s shoes is hard until you support them in putting on new ones!

With Love,

Claressa Hinton
Outreach Worker
Serve & Connect

On November 30, over 30 Lexington-based organizations, including law enforcement, EMS, and healthcare and mental health service providers came together to launch a new initiative, UPLIFT Lexington County-Healing Mind, Body, and Spirit. This movement is focused on diverting people away from reliance on emergency services and the criminal justice system and into resources that promote healing and healthy outcomes.

UPLIFT Lexington County is supported and funded through a three-year grant from Duke Endowment for $980,000 to increase access to mental healthcare in Lexington County. Through UPLIFT we will establish a comprehensive and coordinated system of care delivery. The grant includes several Midlands organizations:

• Lexington Medical Center Foundation

• Serve & Connect

• Lexington County Community Mental Health Center

• Lexington County EMS

• Lexington County Sheriff’s Office

• Lexington Medical Center

At the Partnership Network meeting, individuals from the convening partnership team had a chance to speak at the event. They spoke about how the Lexington County partnership network will improve behavioral health through collaboration and empowerment. Remarks were made by:

• UPLIFT Lexington County Project Manager Macey Silano

• Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon

• Lexington County Mental Health Center Executive Director Sarah Main

• Lexington County EMS Assistant Chief Tanee Thomas-Tedford

• Lexington Medical Center Director of Medical Social Services Katherine Watts

• Serve & Connect Founder & CEO Dr. Kassy Alia Ray

The event lasted two hours where an array of partners gathered to collaborate and work together on matters that are relevant around Lexington County.

Elizabeth Wingard the Senior Major Gift Officer at The Lexington Medical Foundation said, “the launch of the Uplift Partner Network not only provided a great introduction to what the movement is all about, we truly came together that day to begin real work in connecting and developing deeper relationships among organizations and individuals, public and private, working together to serve those with mental illness throughout the Midlands.”

Organizations showed their dedication to serving their community by participating with open minds and hearts. Individualized perspectives were seen, and issues that had not been considered were brought to the table on how to provide care to lived experience of mental illness and our frontline workers. Elizabeth continued to say “ the shared passion came through so strongly as participants offered guidance, insight, and valuable information to help build a stronger framework of care for our community and support for those on the frontlines of this care. And while this work of the Partner Network is just beginning, I was greatly encouraged by the experience that we are on to a good thing!”

Open dialogue between frontline workers and service providers is a critical tool for ensuring access to resources to individuals with lived experiences of mental illness. Amy Lanier, the Executive Director at The Lexington Medical Foundation stated, “there was such great energy in the room – with so many joining us from our community that has the heart to serve every day. We are already learning how we can find avenues to work together to better serve those in need, and together, strengthen resources and ultimately result in healing for those suffering in our community.”

This grant will fund for three years the hire and equipping of two dedicated Community Paramedics focused on behavioral health and an additional Mental Health Counselor who will be working directly with individuals and their families living with mental health concerns in our community. They will go out to the individual, develop a tailored care plan and help them navigate the services available in our community for treatment and care. Lexington County EMS Assistant Chief Tanee Thomas-Tedford who will be helping to oversee this initiative states, “the fact that so many community members were present to walk alongside us in this journey filled my heart with hope.”

This proactive care will help individuals toward a more independent and healthier life. It will also alleviate reliance on EMS resources for unnecessary transports and emergency department care which will help with wait times for the broader community, and ensure the participating patients have the best paths to appropriate care.

Macey, the Mental Health Program Manager of Uplift mentions the importance of not only helping individuals with lived experience of mental illness but the importance of training for our first responders within this project.

“We will be working to deliver training to first responders throughout the county including rural areas to help them with a systematic approach to responding to individuals experiencing mental health crises.”

We sincerely appreciate the media sharing news about this important work. They play a critical role in helping us create partnerships and creating change.

On September 30th,  law enforcement from more than three dozen agencies across South Carolina gathered at our annual Greg’s Groceries Statewide Annual Event to pack more than 1,600 food boxes for their communities. During the event, AT&T and FirstNet presented the Serve & Connect with a $125,000 contribution to further expand the reach and impact of Greg’s Groceries.

In the last twelve months, Greg’s Groceries has experienced significant growth, with delivery currently in 47% of South Carolina counties and actively working with over 36 police partners.

“We really see first responders and their support, not only as an honor but an obligation. We see Serve & Connect as a bridge for the police and the community relationship,” said Amanda Taylor, SC regional director for AT&T.

Demonstrating that growth and commitment to community relations, three dozen agencies across South Carolina, including representatives from South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), gathered at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy on Sept. 30 to assemble 1,600 nonperishable food boxes for their local communities. The boxes will provide an anticipated 30,000 meals.

“SLED is honored to partner with Serve & Connect in a continued effort to support community policing in South Carolina. Our Community Relations agents are integrated in communities across the state to provide support to local agencies and the communities they serve. Serve & Connect provides the necessary tools, especially Greg’s Groceries, to assist our efforts in bringing the community and police together,” shared SLED Chief Mark Keel.

Officers showed their continued commitment to community relations and the Greg’s Groceries program while also honoring the memory of Forest Acres Police Officer Greg Alia on the 6th Anniversary of his death. Alia was killed in the line of duty on September 30, 2015.  Greg’s Groceries is named after Officer Alia.

“Greg said that for every one negative story we hear in the news, there are thousands of positive stories happening every day between police and community,” shared Kassy Alia Ray, Serve & Connect CEO. “Through Greg’s Groceries, we are able to spread small acts of kindness between police and community and enhance police departments’ ability to implement effective community policing practices.”

Departments and officers were recognized for their outstanding work with Greg’s Groceries program over the last 12 months. Timmonsville Police Department, which was among the departments that delivered the most boxes so far in 2021.

“Initiatives such as Greg’s Groceries are important for building trust within a community,” according to Timmonsville Police Department Chief Thomas McFadden. McFadden wanted his department involved because he wanted his officers interacting with the people they serve in a positive setting.

“I like to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement. I think somewhere in the past few years that got lost,” Timmonsville Police Department Chief Thomas McFadden.

Once the packing event ended, police agencies took boxes of Greg’s Groceries to their local communities for officers to deliver to families and people in need.

*Video at the top of the page courtesy of York County Sheriff’s Office.

The following departments and officers were recognized for their outstanding work with Greg’s Groceries program over the last 12 months:

Most Boxes of Greg’s Groceries Delivered:

• Large Department: Charleston County Sheriff’s Office

• Medium Department: Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office

• Small Department: Timmonsville Police Department

Officer Who Delivered Most Boxes of Greg’s Groceries:

• PFC Jose Cardona, Lexington Police Department

Annual Department Impact Awards:

• Charleston Police Department – For excellence in strategic outreach

• Greenwood Police Department – For excellence in leadership training within the department

• Chester County Sheriff’s Office – For excellence in utilizing community partnerships

List of Statewide Partner Agencies

Statewide Agencies/Associations

• State Law Enforcement Division (SLED)

• South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy

• South Carolina Sheriffs Association

• South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association

• South Carolina Police Chiefs Association

• South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police

 Midlands Agencies

• Blackville Police Department

• Camden Police Department

• Cayce Police Department

• Columbia Police Department

• Elgin Police Department

• Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office

• Forest Acres Police Department

• Irmo Police Department,

• Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office

• Lexington Police Department

• Lexington County Sheriff’s Department

• Newberry Police Department

• Orangeburg Department of Public Safety

• Richland County Sheriff’s Department

• Saluda County Sheriff’s Office

• Springdale Police Department

• West Columbia Police Department

• Winnsboro Department of Public Safety

Lowcountry Agencies

• Beaufort Police Department

• Charleston Police Department

• Charleston County Sheriff’s Office

• Goose Creek Police Department

PeeDee Agencies

• Georgetown Police Department

• Timmonsville Police Department

• Myrtle Beach Police Department

• Nichols Police Department

Charlotte/Rock Hill-Area Agencies

• Chester County Sheriff’s Office

• Rock Hill Police Department

• York County Sheriff’s Office

Upstate Agencies

• Clemson Police Department

• Honea Path Police Department

• Greenville County Sheriff’s Office

• Greenwood Police Department

• Spartanburg Police Department

We sincerely appreciate the media sharing news about this important work. They play a critical role in helping us bridge the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Links to coverage are below:

• FitsNews – Serve & Connect steps it up again

• Carolina News & Reporter – South Carolina law enforcement packs 1,600 boxes of food on anniversary of fallen officer’s death

• WPDE – SC law enforcement honor fallen officer by giving back to the community

• WOLO – Law enforcement pack food boxes for those in need through Greg’s Groceries program

• WSPA – SC police part of Greg’s Groceries community

• WCBD – SC police box up thousands of meals for families in need to honor fallen officer

• WPDE – Timmonsville police delivering groceries to help families in hard times

• WSAV – SC police box up thousands of meals for families in need

Thank you to the following partners who made this event possible.

• AT&T

• FirstNet

• South Carolina Bar Foundation

• South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy

• State Law Enforcement Division

• Sound & Images

• Trio Solutions Inc. (TRIO)

• Alpha Media

• Jac2Photo