On Wednesday May 15th, 2019 at 10:00 am the Tega Cay Police Department will be honoring Sgt. Anthony White, Detective Mike Doty, Chief Phil Wehrheim, and Captain James Curtis at our first annual Police Memorial Ceremony. We will be honoring fallen officers and officers who once served and have since passed. We would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to join and help us honor these law enforcement officers. It will be held at the Living Memorial Gardens across from City Hall in Tega Cay.
Sgt. Anthony White began his law enforcement career with the York County Sheriff’s Office in 2001. In 2008, he made the decision to come to the Tega Cay Police Department. Sgt. White began as a Patrol Officer with Tega Cay but was instantly known as a Community Officer, before we even had Community Officers. He continued his career with Tega Cay rising through the ranks and becoming a Field Training Officer giving him the opportunity to pass his knowledge and experiences on to the next generation of Officers. Sgt. White medically retired due to pancreatic cancer as Shift Sergeant in 2015 but remained a part our department’s family and is greatly missed by the community he served.
Detective Mike Doty, after graduating from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, joined the York Police Department, and months later joined the York County Sheriff’s Office on May 22, 2006. He began his service in the Patrol Division and was later assigned to the Narcotics Division where he earned the rank of Master Deputy II. He also was a member of the York County SWAT team. Mike was passionate about saving those with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as his work with the Law Enforcement Officer Narcan (LEON) Program, where he was the coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office. Detective Mike Doty was shot in the line of duty January 16th, 2018 and passed away January 17th, 2018.
Chief Phil Wehrheim began his career with the Lloyd Harbor Police Department. After Phil joined the Police Department, his friends encouraged him to join the Huntington Volunteer Fire Department. He served as the secretary for the Hook & Ladder Company for several years. He was a volunteer fireman for 14 years. While working his way through Civil Service Exams and up the ranks to Chief of Police, he was awarded 7 local commendations and 1 national award. He retired the Police Department in 1985. He was a member of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, The Suffolk County Association of Police, The Suffolk County Police Association and the Retired Police Association of the State of New York.
Captain James “POP” Curtis, after serving our Country, joined the New York State Police in 1962. Jim held the ranks of Trooper, Sergeant, Investigator, Lieutenant, Captain and retired as the Staff Inspector in charge of the Governor’s detail. After retiring, Jim went to work for the Department of Treasury at the US Bullion Depository at Fort Knox as the Officer in Charge/Chief US Mint Police.