YORK, S.C. (CN2 TODAY) For 37 years, Lt. Rick Thomasson has been watching over the streets of York.
“Everyone in York knows Lieutenant Thomasson and he knows pretty much everybody”, says York Police Chief, Andy Robinson.
Thomasson started his career in law enforcement in 1983 right at the York Police Department.
“I started as a patrol officer with the city of York and I worked my way up through the ranks. I was a corporal and I moved from there to sergeant and my first duties as a sergeant were to run a shift and I did that for about five years and then I moved up to a lieutenant”, says Thomasson.
The impact he’s made on this department is clear to see. That’s why he’s this week’s cn2 hometown hero.
“It’s gonna be hard its going to be different around here without him. Even on his days off he likes to pop in. I hope he still will pop in and see us and I think he’ll still volunteer hopefully and be involved in the community because he does have a servants heart and he really does care about the people of York”, says Robinson.
Captain Brian Trial says Thomasson has become one of his best friends.
“My first year on the road was with Rick because then Rick was a corporal with the police department we had some really good time some fun times and some scary times but he taught me a lot within that year”, says Trial.
“I’m very proud of him and and I love you and I’m just looking forward to him being at home maybe cutting grass washing cars that’s what he likes doing”, says Thomasson’s wife, Latonia Thomasson.
And as Thomasson said his goodbyes to his friends in blue, we asked him what kept him going for 37 years?
“when I first got here one of my mentors was Wilson Barnett he has retired but he said if you wanna stay in this profession treat people the way you wanna be treated. Be nice, go out and do your job and I held that with me all of those years and I guess that’s why I’m still here”, says Thomasson.
