The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF CHIEF JEFF S. HELMS
______
HON. RALPH NORMAN
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Jeff S. Helms, a beloved community leader and Police Chief of the Fort Mill Police Department.
Chief Helms has dedicated nearly four decades of his life to protecting our community. In 1983, upon the incorporation of the city of Tega Cay, Chief Helms was one of the first patrolmen hired to serve the city. He went on to serve the York County Sheriff's Department, primarily working as a detective dealing with armed robberies and homicides.
In 1994, Chief Helms was hired as the Police Chief of the Town of Fort Mill. Hired at the early age of 31, Chief Helms was the youngest and longest serving Police Chief in Fort Mill History. When he was first hired, Fort Mill's population was around 3,500 and the department only had 11 officers, 5 patrol cars, and one computer. Chief Helms has built a department of highly qualified officers and employees who selflessly serve the town with dedication and pride. During his tenure, the department has grown to 61 officers and 71 total employees who serve a town of approximately 25,000 people. Throughout this time of unprecedented growth, Chief Helms and the officers of the Fort Mill Police Department have helped the town consistently rank in the top 9 safest cities in South Carolina. ln the words of incoming Fort Mill Police Chief Bryan Zachary, ``Chief Helms leaves large shoes to fill.''
Throughout his 27 years of unparalleled leadership at the Fort Mill Police Department, Chief Helms has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. He was voted Police Officer of the Year by Fort Mill Times and was honored with the Local Hero Award by the Fort Mill Optimist Club, among other awards. He is also recognized as a founding member of the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Created in the early years of his tenure as Chief, this was a groundbreaking and highly successful collaboration between departments that has been used as a model for other departments in South Carolina and around the Nation.
The career of Chief Helms is a testament to all the good our men and women in blue do for our communities. He leaves behind a legacy of progress and success. On behalf of the 5th District of South Carolina, I thank Chief Helms for his service and wish him a happy retirement. Fort Mill has been truly blessed to have him as a community guardian for the last 27 years.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 152
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up