Town gets chief at last

LINCOLNVILLE — Gary Hamner is the new police chief of this one-officer town.

It's a season of change for the 20-year veteran of the Summerville Police Department.

Hamner, 41, was sworn in as Lincolnville chief Wednesday night. He and his girlfriend are expecting a child, and they plan to marry in the spring.

Hamner was raised in North Charleston. He is a 1984 graduate of Stall High School and he attended Trident Technical College.

Hamner had served many roles with the Summerville police, including as a patrolman, detective, community resource officer and school resource officer. He left that department in May.

"I was looking to expand my horizons. I just felt it was time for me to move along," Hamner said. "It's rare for a police officer to stay at the same police department for 20 years."

Mayor Tyrone Aiken said the town has been without a police officer for more than a year.

Constable Robert Bailey, who patrolled Lincolnville as a volunteer, was kidnapped May 14, 2007, following a traffic stop on Greenwood Street.

After a five-day search by hundreds of law enforcement officers from around the region, his body was found buried not far from Interstate 26 in Orangeburg County. He had been shot to death.

Sgt. Richie Hill, the town's only paid police officer, left about six weeks later to work for the Hanahan Police Department. Hill said his departure was, in part, to put the horrible memory of Bailey's death behind him.

Charleston County sheriff's deputies have been providing law enforcement and patrols in Lincolnville.

The mayor said that, after Hill resigned, the town had trouble attracting a replacement at a salary of about $28,000, so Town Council raised the salary to as much as $35,000.

Hamner remembers assisting in the search for Bailey last year. He said he hopes that his arrival in town will help to heal the open wound left by the constable's homicide.

"With enough time, I hope," Hamner said. "Bailey was a fantastic guy."

Aiken said it's a new era.

Hamner lives in Summerville with his 16-year-old daughter, Chelsea Hamner; his girlfriend, Stephanie Furyesz; and Furyesz's children, Joseph Kline, 14, and Sarah Kline, 10.

The couple is expecting a baby girl Nov. 11 and plans to marry in March.

Hamner will be moving into his new office today, and he said he invites the townsfolk to stop by.

"They have their own police department again," he said. "Call, come by the office. That's what I'm here for."

Reach Nadine Parks at 937-5573 or nparks@postandcourier.com.