Friday, February 03, 2012: For Immediate Release

 Enrollment now open for the 2012 York County Sheriff's Office Citizen's Academy

 Sheriff Bruce M. Bryant proudly announces enrollment is now open for the York County Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Academy. The Citizen’s Academy exposes participants to major operational aspects of the York County Sheriff’s Office. 

 Participants in the Citizen’s Academy will have opportunities to tour many of the Sheriff’s Office’s facilities and learn about the Uniformed Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Unit, the K-9 Unit, and many other specialized units. The Citizen’s Academy will meet on Monday nights each week for 13 weeks; classes start March 05, 2012.  Classes will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately two-and-one-half hours, optional classes may be offered on some Saturdays.

 In order to enroll in the class, you must be at least 18-years-of-age and you must pass a background investigation. An application for the Citizen’s Academy is available online at www.yorkcountysheriff.com. Applications may also be picked up at the York County Sheriff’s Office District Offices located through the county; addresses and directions to District Offices are also available on the web site.

 Sheriff Bryant encourages anyone with an interest in learning in depth about the workings of the York County Sheriff’s Office to apply to attend the Citizen’s Academy.

 For more information about the Citizen’s Academy contact York County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Brian Boling at 803-628-6257. The application must be completed and submitted to the York County Sheriff’s Office no later than February 28, 2012.

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 York County Sheriff’s Office makes arrest in beating investigation

 The York County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Danny Ray Pittman in the beating of Kimberly Dawn Faile-Bryant and her 16-year old son. Pursuant to the investigation, deputies obtained arrest warrants on Pittman     for 2 counts of Attempted Murder.

 The York County Sheriff’s Office received information that Pittman was located in a mobile home park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. With the assistance of the Horry County Police, Pittman was taken into custody shortly before midnight on Thursday, February 02, 2012. The victim’s vehicle was recovered at that time.

 Currently, Pittman has criminal charges of Damage to Property and Assault 3^rd Degree on him from Horry County. Due to those charges, it is not known exactly when Pittman will be returned to York County.

 This investigation stemmed from the Wednesday, February 01, 2012 assault on thirty-five year old Kimberly Dawn Faile-Bryant and her 16-year old son. Both victims were severely beaten; at the time of this release, both victims remain in ICU.

 The incident location was the victim’s residence on Elder Road, Rock Hill, South Carolina. An 11-year old child was also at the home but was not injured. Witnesses indicated that the mother’s boyfriend, Danny Ray Pittman, had been at the residence at the time of the assault. 

 York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant expresses his appreciation for the communities concern in this case and for the assistance of Horry County Police.  Sheriff Bryant also praises York County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Services and the other deputies who have worked nearly around the clock since this investigation began.

 No further information is available for release at this time.

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Thursday, February 02, 2012: For Immediate Release

York County Sheriff’s Office investigating severe beating of woman and son

Shortly after 11:00 pm, Wednesday, February 01, 2012, the York County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of 2 people being assaulted and severely injured. The incident location was at1473 Elder Road, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

 Thirty-five year old Kimberly Dawn Faile-Bryant and her 16-year old son had both been severely beaten; both victims were airlifted to CMC Main. At the time of this release, the mother was listed as being in serious condition and the son was listed as being in critical condition. An 11-year old child was also at the home but was not injured.

 Witnesses indicated that the mother’s boyfriend, Danny Ray Pittman, had been at the residence, during, or at least prior to the assault.  A 2006 Kia Sorento belonging to the victim is missing and, at this time, is considered stolen. The South Carolina license plate that should be displayed on the vehicle is DDP826; the Sorento is blue in color.

 Danny Ray Pittman is also missing and deputies need to locate Pittman to further this investigation. Deputies are asking for any information regarding the attack on Kimberly Dawn Faile-Bryant and her son, the location of the victim’s vehicle and any information on the whereabouts of Danny Ray Pittman. Anyone with information can contact the York County Sheriff’s Office at 803-628-3059, or they can contact Crime Stoppers at                      1-877-409-4321, or online at www.yorkcrimestoppers.com.

An image of Danny Ray Pittman accompanies this release.

Danny Ray Pittman

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012: For Immediate Release

Four York County Sheriff’s deputies to be awarded Medal of Valor

On Thursday, January 26, 2012, four deputies from the York County Sheriff’s Office will be awarded the Medal of Valor by the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association.

During the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association 2012 Winter Conference Awards Banquet, York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant will present Lieutenant Mike Ligon, Sergeant Heath Clevenger, Detective Carson Neely and Investigator Nick Schifferle with the Medal of Valor.

The Medal of Valor is the South Carolina Sheriff's Association highest honor and is awarded for an act of outstanding personal bravery, intelligently performed, in the line of duty at imminent personal hazard of life. The deputies were nominated to receive the medal for their actions which put their own safety in peril while attempting to safeguard others.

On the morning of August 29, 2011, the York County Sheriff’s Office was called upon by the Gaston County Police Department to apprehend Franklin White who, after he had shot and killed a woman in Gastonia, North Carolina, fled to York County, South Carolina.

These officers were attempting to take accused murderer Franklin White into custody when they were called upon to do something that officers are trained to do, but hope they will never have to, and that is, use deadly force against another human being. When deputies attempted to take White into custody, he presented a large revolver, deputies acted to prevent White from escaping or using the weapon to harm or kill another.

York County Sheriff’s Office deputies dedicate themselves to the safety of the citizens of York County; each of the deputies being awarded the Medal of Valor go above and beyond their normal duties by voluntarily serving on the York County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team. Sheriff Bryant states, “This was a trying and tragic occurrence for the many families affected by this suspect’s actions; I applaud these deputies, these heroes, for their brave actions that helped to protect our community.”

The South Carolina Sheriff’s Association 2012 Winter Conference Awards Banquet will be held at the  Embassy Suites Columbia-Greystone, Stonebridge Drive, Columbia, South Carolina. More information about the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association can be found at www.sheriffsc.org.

Photographs of the Medal of Valor percipients are available for publication.

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