Camden City Council passed a new ordinance to rename the city police department building and said farewell to three departing aldermen at the December meeting.
Discussions have been had at city council meetings throughout the fall of ways the city could honor and memorialize L.C. "Buckshot" Smith following his passing this past July.
The board of aldermen discussed renaming a city street as well as renaming a building or having a bust placed at the police department as a memorial to his many years of service in law enforcement.
In November it was decided that in addition to possibility of placing a memorial in the lobby at Camden Police Department, consideration should be given to renaming the building after Smith.
On Dec. 11, Ordinance No. 14-24, "an ordinance designating the Camden Police Department Building as the Buckshot Smith Camden Police Department Building," was set before the board of aldermen.
A motion to suspend the rules and move into a third and final reading of the ordinance was passed with Aldermen Chris Aregood and Gerald Castleberry voting "no."
During the discussion on the ordinance, Castleberry said he had received numerous phone calls about renaming the building after Smith.
"Let me start out by saying no one on any of these phone calls, talked to me, had any disrespect for Buckshot or anything negative to say about Buckshot," said Castleberry. "They were all either current or past police employees and their concern was that they had numerous people in the PD that's actually worked more years for Camden Police Department -- whether they retired or whether they're still there -- than Buckshot did for Camden Police Department, and once they retired have gotten a plaque on the wall."
He said the callers told him others who had retired from CPD had only received plaques and believed since this was the only honor given to others who had retired from CPD this was the honor which should be given to Smith.
Alderman Ed Winters said he had received the same calls and he suggested renaming Memorial Park for Smith instead.
"I think he deserves some type of special recognition," said Winters. "And I'm suggesting that we name that Memorial Park after Buckshot. My wife was part of this planning, I've been not as much of planning of that Memorial Park but I think that would be a superb recognition for Buckshot, to name that Memorial Park after him."
Winters continued saying, "I mean, this gentleman served until he was what, 95 years old when he retired? I mean I'm not sure what his age was, anybody know? I know he was at least in his nineties, but I'm just making this suggestion, that maybe instead of the police building that we named this Memorial Park or kind of refer to Buckshot Memorial Park."
Alderman Grady Renix said, "Even though those guys that you all talked about said that they've been there and they served longer than he did but, he was the longest serving, active police officer in the United States at the time. That went from nationwide because he was on, real news tonight being interviewed and I think that's speaks volumes."
Alderman L.E. Lindsey said, "I'll agree with you Grady. There will surely be some people that put in more years, but they didn't do it after they were 80."
Alderman Chris Aregood said that Smith did most of his career at the sheriff's office and spent only 9 years at CPD.
Alderman Lawrence Askew said, "Everybody knows the legacy that Buckshot brought and I just got to say this was a black and white divide coming in here."
Askew continued saying, "I bet you every phone call you all got was a white person. L.E. (Lindsey) brought it up and we agreed with it and everything and man, that's an honor. This man was nationally recognized and you know, you're talking about bricks and talking about a Memorial Park -- L.C. "Buckshot" Smith's name needs to be on that building. It deserves to be on that building. The city of Camden needs to see it on that building."
Alderman Marvin Moore clarified the building should not be called the "Buckshot Smith Police Department Building," but should use Smith's full name and be called instead the "L.C. 'Buckshot' Smith Police Department Building."
The board of aldermen passed the ordinance with Askew, Moore, McCoy, Renix and Lindsey voting, "yes", Castleberry and Aregood voting, "no", and Winters abstaining from the vote.
The meeting finished with Mayor Charlotte Young presenting each of the retiring aldermen with plaques for their service.
Aregood was presented with a plaque for Alderman, Ward 4 Position 2 for 14 years of service.
Moore was presented with a plaque for Alderman, Ward 1 Position 1 for 21 years of service.
Lindsey was presented with a plaque for Alderman, Ward 1 Position 1 for 21 years of service.
Following the presentation of all three plaques, Moore said, "Mama always liked getting things correct. I'm in Ward 3 Position 1."
Young responded saying, "We will get that changed. Leave it with us and we will get that fixed. I'm so sorry."
Askew said, "I just want to personally thank you all for, you know, the experience of working that you all and all that."
Lindsey said, "And let me say, back with all y'all and all those that came before, it's kind of like being married. You know, you got your good times, you got your bad times. You just have to work through them. I wish you all the best going forward and I've certainly learned a lot and just try to remember, treat the budget like it's your own money."