Redeemed: Yemassee police officer makes most of second chance

Just one month into his new job at the St. George Police Department in Dorchester County in 2011, Kenneth Simmons was fired.

He had pulled over a driver with a suspended license. As he prepared to arrest her, she asked to leave her car parked in an empty lot off U.S. 15. Simmons, who had five years of experience in law enforcement, agreed, knowing the car would sit in the lot for only a few hours before the woman could post bond and retrieve it.

But when the police chief got word, he asked Simmons to resign. The situation resulted in a job termination notice in Simmons' file.

Today, Simmons has found a second chance with the Yemassee Police Department. He's one of several local police officers and police chiefs who say fired officers can be assets for their communities.

"I've wanted to be an officer since I was a kid," Simmons said. "I've been doing this since 2006, 2007. I love what I do, and I think I've used half a sick day in that many years."

The Yemassee Police Department never brought up the firing when it hired him in November 2011, he added. In fact, Simmons didn't even know it was listed as a termination in his file, thinking he had resigned.

Chief Gregory Alexander said Simmons had positive references from past departments and has been an active and professional patrol officer.

And he's grown to love the small town that straddles Hampton and Beaufort counties. It's the first time Simmons has chosen to live in the same town he polices. That wasn't the case when he worked as a cop in Barnwell, Denmark, Allendale and St. George.

It's the people that make the little town special, Simmons said.

One man he stopped later called him to apologize for his attitude and anger. Others stopped while traveling out of town have sent him Christmas cards.

"It makes you feel good. You're doing your job and you treat them well enough to where they still have respect for you," Simmons said. "And I want to maintain that for the rest of my career. I don't want to lose that."

Follow reporter Rebecca Lurye on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Rebecca.

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Redeemed: Yemassee police officer makes most of second chance ."