Lancaster County recognizes officer strangled by inmate

Police officers left to right: Kilmarnock officers Richard Thomas and Chelsi Blake with Lancaster County's Eddie Daw and Julie CampbellWatchful Eye

If Lancaster deputy Eddie Daw hadn’t drew on training from his tours in Iraq, who knows what would have happened, Sheriff Patrick McCranie said at last Thursday’s board of supervisors meeting.

Daw was working corrections at the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office on December 24 when he was violently attacked by an inmate who strangled him with a cord, the board explained in a resolution drafted to recognized Daw and other officers.

Communication officer Julie Campbell was working dispatch alone that night. She alerted two Kilmarnock police officers—Richard Thomas and Chelsi Blake—who just so happened to be at the sheriff’s office speaking with the magistrate. They came to the assistance of Daw and helped him regain control of the inmate.

“Thank goodness we had the quick action of Julie here who was dispatching that night. And we had these two police officers who happened to be at the sheriff’s office. It couldn’t have worked out any better,” McCranie added.

Without your careful attention to safety, this incident could have become a much worse matter and had a disastrous outcome,” Lancaster County Lieutenant J.W. Haywood told Campbell.

Lancaster supervisors passed a resolution recognizing Daw, Campbell, Thomas, and Blake for their dedication, determination, and their quick and courageous action in a time of great need.

Haywood presented Campbell with a letter of commendation. McCranie presented Campbell, Thomas and Blake certificates of appreciation, and he gave the Kilmarnock officers a ribbon that can be worn on their uniforms.

“It just goes to show, it doesn’t matter what color our uniform is, we’re all in it together,” said McCranie of the assistance received from the Kilmarnock officers.