Former Moncks Corner Police Sergeant Named Horry County ‘Officer of the Year’

On the night of July 23, 2015 at approximately 11:00 p.m., PFC. Rick Crouse, formerly of the Moncks Corner Police Department, responded to one of the most intense calls an officer can face, a domestic disturbance involving a gun in Horry County.

Multiple 911 calls were made expressing the violent nature of this call that was continuing as additional calls came in including from the 16, 11 and 9-year-old children in the house.

As Crouse approached the home, he witnessed the children outside screaming for help for them and their mother. Several other witnesses were yelling at this officer to get into the house because the suspect had a gun and was going to kill her.

Crouse quickly approached the house without hesitating or waiting for back-up. When he approached the door, he was confronted with the suspect holding the struggling female victim with a gun to her head, fighting for her life.

As the suspect raised the gun towards the victim again, Crouse decided to use deadly force to protect the life of the victim. No officer wishes to utilize this level of force, but every officer is trained to do so to protect life.

For his bravery and professionalism in law enforcement under stressful and intense circumstances without expectation of personal reward or gain, PFC Crouse was selected as the Horry County Police Department’s Officer of the Year 2015.