Ray Moore, a former Greenwood police chief who started in the department as a patrolman, was very dedicated to his work, according to colleagues.
Mr. Moore died of cancer Tuesday morning. He was 65.
A native of Savannah, Georgia, Mr. Moore spent his career in law enforcement. He started as an auxiliary officer for the West Point Police Department in 1985, worked for the West Point/Clay County narcotics unit, and then worked for the Clay County Sheriff’s Department.
It was in West Point that he met his wife, Jackie. The two married in 1988. They located to Greenwood in 1994, and Mr. Moore began working for the Greenwood Police Department as a patrolman.
Over the next 17 years, he worked his way up. He was promoted to sergeant and then to lieutenant. He worked as a crime scene investigator and led the internal affairs department for five years.
It was his well-rounded experience that led Mayor Carolyn McAdams to appoint him acting police chief in January 2014 following the retirement of then-acting chief Johnny Langdon Sr.
Mr. Moore became the permanent chief later that year.
McAdams remembers his tenure as chief fondly.
“He was extremely dedicated to his job,” she said. “He was a good man. He’s got a good family.”
McAdams and Mr. Moore always had a good working relationship, she said.
“Certainly, I’m not saying that we always agreed on everything because that’s not the case,” she said. “We respectfully disagreed and solved the problems that we could solve during that time that he was the chief.”
Terrence Craft, who took over as chief last year, said he and Mr. Moore worked together for 15 years and were once patrol partners.
“Ray’s always been a great officer,” he said. “Not only were we colleagues, but we also became friends over the years as we worked together.”
In late 2019, Mr. Moore suffered a stroke, and though he recovered, he announced to the City Council in November of that year that he was retiring.
“I’ve done a lot of praying and a lot of truly being honest with myself,” he told the council, “and I know that I am unable to continue to serve the people of this great city as their chief of police at the capacity I feel they deserve.”
Craft said Mr. Moore was a great resource for him as he took on the position.
“I was at home, and he called me one day, and told me, ‘The job you’re taking on, it’s a big load. It’s lonely at the top, and I’m always here for you.’”
Mr. Moore’s health declined in 2020 as he was diagnosed with liver cancer and then small cell carcinoma. The cancer eventually spread throughout his body. Last month he was moved into hospice care.
A GoFundMe campaign, set up by Mr. Moore’s childhood friend Dudley Pleasants, raised more than $7,000 to aid with Mr. Moore’s wife’s expenses.
“Through my time, he’s always been dedicated to the job,” Craft said. “Always kept us laughing. Told us a lot of jokes at work. We had fun together. He’s definitely, truly going to be missed. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and loved ones. He was pretty much our family, our GPD family.”
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday. Williams & Lord Funeral Home is in charge.
- Contact Kevin Edwards at 662-581-7233 or kedwards@gwcommonwealth.com.
