FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 26, 2001
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755
ROARK PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL OF HIGHWAY PATROL;
HANCOCK PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN OVER DISTRICT ONE
COLUMBIA - The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today announced that Russell Roark has been promoted to lieutenant colonel of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, where he will serve as second-in-command of the 904 member law enforcement division. The promotion was effective November 19. Roark fills the position that was vacated when Mike Kelley was named colonel in June.
Roark has been captain in Highway Patrol District One since 1999. He has been with the Highway Patrol since 1982 when he was hired in Sumter County. Roark was promoted to corporal in Richland County in 1989, sergeant in Sumter County in 1993 and lieutenant in District One in Columbia in 1995.
"As captain in District One, Russell Roark has shown outstanding leadership capabilities and innovative ideas to promote highway safety," said Highway Patrol Col. Mike Kelley. "Now more than ever, the Highway Patrol has to do more with less and that’s why it’s important to have leaders like Lt. Col. Roark who can use our resources wisely to improve highway safety."
As lieutenant colonel, Roark will oversee enforcement and administrative activities of the Patrol as well as HP special operations.
A native of Union, Roark and his wife Sandy currently reside in Sumter County and attend Wise Drive Baptist Church. Roark has one child, Connor, 8. Roark is a graduate of the national FBI academy.
As District One captain, Hancock will oversee all Highway Patrol activities throughout Richland, Lexington, Lee, Sumter, Aiken, and Kershaw counties. He has been with the Highway Patrol since 1977 when he was stationed in Bamberg. He was promoted to corporal in 1991 assigned to Highway Patrol headquarters working with school bus safety, to sergeant in 1996 in Kershaw County and to lieutenant in 1999 in District One headquarters.
A native of Anderson County, Hancock and his wife, Ellen, currently reside in Lugoff and attend First Baptist Church in Camden. He has one daughter, Mary Kathryn, 15. Hancock has anti-terrorist training from the national FBI academy.
"Tony Hancock is a Highway Patrol veteran who has a thorough understanding of how the Patrol works and is committed to constantly improving the division," Kelley said. "He will do an excellent job leading District One.
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