Beaufort police chief honored at memorial service as larger-than-life leader
Matthew Clancy was a larger-than-life character.
Physically, he could rip phone books in half and his presence at his sons’ elementary school ended arguments of whose dad could beat up whom.
He performed the same annual agility test required of his officers, even as cancer was well on its way to overcoming him. The most recent attempt ended with his arm in a sling.
The Beaufort police chief said he wouldn’t ask his officers to do anything he wouldn’t do, his son, Tyler, remembered during a memorial service on a sunny Friday morning in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
His influence extended much further than physical strength, those who knew him said.
Clancy died July 29 at age 56, five years after learning of Stage 4 cancer in his liver and pancreas.
His flag-draped casket rested under the park pavillion as fellow law enforcement officers, elected officials and sons Connor and Tyler spoke.
“Cancer did not win this battle,” Tyler said in his eulogy. “Cancer lost because it could never take away my father’s spirit.”
In Waterfront Park, the Beaufort police force sat in rows in the shade, most donning masks as encouraged by organizers. Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputies took over normal city patrols so officers could attend the service.
After the service, a funeral procession carried the casket beneath a large American flag hanging over Bay Street toward Beaufort National Cemetery where Clancy was to be buried with full military honors.
Clancy was remembered as a calm leader who fostered a culture that diffused crisis before it began, as a man of faith who will one day be reunited with his family.
He worked Christmas mornings to let young officers be with their families, was always first on the scene and quick to step back and let his officers share credit for any perceived personal accomplishment.
He worked every day he was able, even some days following chemotherapy.
Clancy’s life didn’t change after his diagnosis, Tyler recalled, except that Deputy Chief Dale McDorman convinced his boss to buy a motorcycle.
His words and actions communicated business as usual.
Clancy was a standout wrestler and lacrosse player in his New York high school. He was also a top student, and when he tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps as a teenager, a counselor guided him toward college and The Citadel in Charleston before his military service, Tyler said.
As a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputy, Clancy saved someone from a burning car, earning accolades for an incident his family only learned about after his death.
As Beaufort’s police chief since 2009, Clancy worked with Technical College of the Lowcountry’s criminal justice program and helped develop a path for careers in law enforcement.
“I’m here to tell you, he led a 21st century police agency,” said Mike Ricks, director of the criminal justice program.
Clancy cared for his officers and administrative staff and learned their birthdays and anniversaries, Beaufort Police Sgt. Chris Cushman said. He earned their respect by serving alongside them and often placed himself between his officers and potential danger.
“He knew something about leadership,” Cushman said. “He fought the good fight and he never gave up. He never complained about getting a lousy hand.”
In the wake of national unrest over Minnesota police killing an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, Clancy met with leaders of local protests at City Hall, Mayor Billy Keyserling said. Clancy always sought to resolve conflicts before they resulted in arrests or death, said longtime friend and North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess.
“You cannot prepare for crisis when crisis is here. You have to do it before it comes,” said Burgess, who was assistant chief when Walter Scott was shot and killed by a North Charleston officer in 2015. “And Matt did that.”
State Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, noted that the U.S. flag over the state capitol building was lowered to half staff in Clancy’s honor. She presented Clancy’s wife, Lisa, and sons the flag that flew over the Statehouse the day the chief died.
“He loved each and every one of you,” Erickson told the crowd gathered around the amphitheater. “He may not have known you, but he loved you because you were part of his community.”
Tyler Clancy spoke of his father’s quiet strength, about how proud he and Connor were when their dad was out working on Christmas morning.
He related a story that was the police chief’s favorite, about a storm that washed thousands of starfish up on a beach. As a young man was walking the beach, picking up starfish and tossing them back into the ocean, officials stopped him to say there were too many for him to make a difference.
The chief started awarding a starfish pin in his department for officers who help make a difference in someone’s life.
Tyler Clancy wore one of his dad’s pins Friday.
“If you really want to help my family, honor my father by looking for the starfish in your life,” he said.
This story was originally published August 7, 2020 at 2:23 PM with the headline "Beaufort police chief honored at memorial service as larger-than-life leader."
