Funeral set for SC police officer who died during training. Here’s what to know

Funeral arrangements are set for the South Carolina police officer who died in the line of duty, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety announced.

State Transport Police Officer Mark Reynolds, a 43-year-old Florence native, suffered a medical emergency during training and died Wednesday night, according to a news release from the Department of Public Safety.

The funeral will be held The Florence Center on Sunday and Reynolds will be laid to rest at Elim Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation is closed to the media and the public.

“The death of Officer First Class Reynolds is a profound loss, not only for the State Transport Police, but the entire Department of Public Safety,” SCDPS Director Robert Woods said in the release. “We are all hugging our families a little closer tonight and praying for Mark’s wife, children, friends and loved ones who are left reeling from this sudden loss.”

Information about the type of training Reynolds was participating in when he suffered the medical emergency was not available, and his cause of death has not been made public.

Officials said Reynolds joined the State Transport Police in 2022 serving Florence, Williamsburg and Georgetown counties after spending more than a decade as a firefighter and working as a professional truck driver.

Reynolds is the first State Transport Police officer to die in the line of duty since the division of the Department of Public Safety was created in 1993.

“Today is a very sad day for the State Transport Police. For anyone who knew Mark personally, he was well liked, respected and extremely dependable,” STP Colonel Dwayne Wilson said in the release. “He was committed to his job and lived a life of service to the state, through his years as a firefighter and most recently as one of our officers. He will be greatly missed.”

This story was originally published September 7, 2024 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Funeral set for SC police officer who died during training. Here’s what to know."

Alexa Jurado

The State

Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.