Five recipients from five agencies honored by Columbia-area church for fourth consecutive year
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) Lieutenant Frieda Brown and four fellow first responders received Eastminster Presbyterian Church’s annual SERVANT LEADERSHIP AWARD on Wednesday evening, the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Unlike previous years’ awards luncheons hosted by the Columbia church on the Sunday prior to the 9/11 anniversary, this year’s ceremony followed a dinner in Eastminster’s Thompson Hall.
In addition to RCSD’s Lt. Brown, first-responder recipients included Public Fire Education Officer Ariel Brown, Columbia-Richland Fire Department; Master Police Officer Andy Lynch, Columbia Police Department; Officer Jacob Meyers, Forest Acres Police Department; and Capt. Stephen M. Koehn, Richland County Emergency Services (EMS).
“As a church, we are grateful for the work all of the Midlands area first responders do in our community,” said Dr. Ben Sloan, Eastminster’s Parish Associate for Missions, Service and Benevolence. “We want to encourage them for how they help others when others can’t help themselves, and how they show up during dangerous situations to help.”
According to Dr. Bradley Smith, senior pastor at Eastminster, the criteria for recognition is two-fold and includes “consistent excellence in performance of duties” and “a demonstration above and beyond excellence in the areas of character, compassion, and community building.”
As it has for the past four years, Eastminster reaches out to the senior leaders of each agency who then select nominees and submit proposed citations to accompany the presented awards.
“Like her fellow recipients standing here tonight, Lt. Brown met all the criteria and then some,” said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott who attended the awards dinner with several of his senior staff. “She [Brown] is a model law enforcement leader and so she was an easy and obvious nominee-selection.”
Lt. Brown is an executive supervisor with RCSD, specifically RCSD Community Resources. Having joined the department 24 years ago, she has held a variety of posts including most recently a lieutenant with the Fugitive Task Force wherein she was one of only three female law enforcement officers to attend U.S. Marshals training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, Georgia in 2014. Prior to the Fugitive Task Force, Brown was a sergeant then a lieutenant with RCSD’s Narcotics Team (specifically the drug suppression team). She was also a supervising corporal with the Midlands Gang Task Force, a patrol supervisor in RCSD’s Region 1, a school resource officer at Lower Richland High School, and a deputy and training officer in RCSD’S Region 2.
A native of Crescent City, California, Brown served as U.S. Army military police officer.
Brown is the mother of seven children: “Five girls and two boys,” she says. With the oldest being 32, and the youngest being 20.”
Brown is also a stage-4 cancer survivor. “A lot of recovery is in your head,” she said when interviewed for her citation several weeks ago. “If your mind says you’re sick, your body responds to it. If you refuse to accept being sick, you will get through it.”
Committed to a life of physical fitness, Brown has competed in the Police Olympics and she regularly works out five days per week at RCSD’s Crossfit Gym.
Brown loves God. “God and I are very good together,” she says. “I pray several times a day, and God is taking care of me.”
What does she love most about her work? “I love being accountable as a law enforcement officer,” she says. “I love seeing improvements in my community. My whole entire heart is in this job.”
She adds: “If I tell you I’m taking you to jail, you can count on it. But if you need food, I’ve got you, if you need a kind word or any tangible or intangible support or help I am here for you.”
Where does Brown see herself in 10 years? “On my back porch with my dog, AK, and my husband Marcus,” she says. “My husband is a superhero.” Marcus, by the way, is an RCSD senior investigator who previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
In addition to honoring all actively serving first responders, particularly the evening’s honorees, Eastminster made a point, as they do every year, of recognizing and thanking all retired and former first-responders and military veterans in attendance.
The evening’s five honorees were presented personally engraved plaques and a check each for $1,000.
– Pictured (L-R) are RCSD Deputy Chief Kelvin Ashe, Major Chris Duke, Deputy Chief Maria Yturria, Senior Investigator Marcus Brown, Lieutenant Frieda Brown (award recipient), Eastminster Senior Pastor Bradley Smith, and Sheriff Leon Lott.