CHARLESTON, S.C. — The City of Charleston Police Department is mourning the loss of its police chief, who lost his battle with cancer.
In a post to the department's social media, Chief Luther Reynolds passed away Monday night in a hospice facility, with his wife and two children at his side.
In a statement, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said, "Tonight, Charleston has lost not just a great police chief, but one of the finest human beings that many of us will ever know. Luther Reynolds was a modern man of ancient virtues: faith, honor, courage, duty. But most of all, and at his very core, Luther was a man of love. He loved his family, his friends, his life. He loved this city and the brave men and women who keep it safe. He loved God, and in faithful service, he loved his neighbor. Over the coming days, we will mourn Luther Reynolds, for we loved him as much as he loved us. But even today, as our hearts are breaking, we can take solace in knowing that with Luther's final journey now complete, his weary days of pain have passed, and his timeless days of peace have just begun."
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster tweeted that Reynolds was "a humble and selfless public servant who led with faith and represented the best of South Carolina." Governor McMaster added that flags at the statehouse will be flown at half-staff on the day of Reynolds funeral.
In a statement on Richland County Sheriff's Department Facebook page, Sheriff Leon Lott said, “Chief Reynolds fought courageously until the end. His battle with cancer was marked by fortitude and commitment. He showed us how to fight...returning to serve his community even after his diagnosis and treatment. He was a true public servant and a beloved husband and father. He was also my friend. May he rest in peace. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is praying with and for the Reynolds family, the Charleston Police Department, and the entire Charleston community.”
On May 17, 2023, Chief Reynolds wrote a letter to the citizens of Charleston, announcing he was going to end cancer treatments, and enter hospice care.
"Such decisions are never easy, of course -- not for our family, and not for all the other families in our community who have to face them every day," said Reynolds. "It is our hope that by sharing this news publicly, we can also share with these other families some small measure of the love and support we've received over the past two years."
Reynolds had served as the Chief of Police of the Charleston Police Department since April 16, 2018. He had previously worked in Maryland for 29 years.
