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USC Aiken creates scholarship to honor two fallen officersJan 17, 2013 (The Augusta Chronicle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A new scholarship at The University of South Carolina Aiken will honor two Aiken police officers who were killed in the line of duty. The Sandy Rogers and Scotty Richardson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to a student in the sociology program at USC Aiken, college officials said. Preference will be given to students pursuing a career in criminal justice and those with a financial need, a press release said. "A group of family and friends have made the initial gift to create this scholarship in honor of these two heroes of the City of Aiken Public Safety Department," said Dr. Deidre Martin, vice chancellor for University Advancement. "This scholarship will provide a lasting legacy to the memory of these two fine individuals." The University will hold a fundraiser for the scholarship at the Feb. 27 USC Aiken basketball game versus Augusta State University. Richardson, a master public safety officer, with the city of Aiken died in December 2011 after a shootout with a suspect following a traffic stop on Brandt Court. Police said Stephon Morrell Carter, 20, of Aiken, pulled a pistol and shot Richardson and another officer who was protected from injury by his bullet-proof vest. Carter was wounded by police and captured. He was charged with murder and attempted murder and remains at the Aiken County Detention Center. Just over a month later, Rogers, a master corporal and 27-year veteran of the force, was killed by another assailant. Rogers was shot on the morning of Jan. 28, while investigating a suspicious vehicle near Aiken's Eustis Park. The suspect, Joshua Tremaine Jones, 27, was arrested later in Batesburg, S.C., and is also in the Aiken County Detention Center awaiting trial. Jones also faces murder charges in Georgia, in the slaying of his girlfriend, Cayce Vice. Aiken Public Safety Capt. David Turno said the scholarship is a fitting tribute to the two officers because of the department's long association with USC Aiken. "Aiken Public Safety is honored to have this scholarship in memory of Scotty and Sandy, both of whom had strong ties to USC Aiken," Turno said. Richardson was a graduate of the university and Roger's mother was a retired educator with the school, he said. Turno also noted that Rogers' life partner, Frances Williams, is a police officer for the university. "The Aiken community continues to show its support of Aiken Public Safety and its officers for their hard work and dedication, to include remembering our officers who gave their lives to the citizens of Aiken," he said. "For this we as a department are truly grateful." ___ (c)2013 The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) Visit The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) at chronicle.augusta.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |