In the summer of 2017, the community of Columbia, South Carolina, was shaken by the loss of one of its own. Senior Deputy Derek Fish, a 28-year-old male officer with the Richland County Sheriff's Department, died on July 28, 2017. His death was a profound blow to his colleagues, family, and the citizens he had sworn to protect. He was a White / Caucasian man known for his energetic personality.
On that Friday, Deputy Fish completed his shift around 6 p.m., having handled routine service
calls and made one arrest. Instead of heading home, he returned to the Region 3 headquarters. It was there, behind the building in his patrol car, that he took his own life with his service weapon. Another deputy later discovered him. The news of his death came as a shock to the department, as there had been no apparent warning signs. He had recently been informed of a promotion to master deputy.
In the wake of this tragedy, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott held a press conference, with the consent of Fish's family, to openly discuss the circumstances of his death. Lott spoke of the department's struggle to understand the reasons behind Fish's actions, as no note or explanation was left behind. The sheriff used the opportunity to bring attention to the critical issue of suicide prevention and mental health within the law enforcement community. It was revealed that this was the third suicide of a Richland deputy in two decades.
The focus following Deputy Fish's death was on providing support to his grieving family and colleagues. As his death was ruled a suicide, there was no criminal investigation, and consequently, no arrests were made or suspects identified. The department emphasized the need for greater awareness and resources to address the mental well-being of its officers.
