Funeral plans announced for fallen North Myrtle Beach police officer
North Myrtle Beach announced funeral plans for fallen Sgt. Gordon Best, who died on New Year’s Day while responding to a call.
His funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday at the Alabama Theatre, according to his obituary from Goldfinch funeral home. Visitation is set for Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. also at the Alabama Theatre.
COVID-19 protocols will require masks and social distancing.
On Jan. 1, around 4 a.m., Best responded to a shots fired call at Barefoot Resort. He was driving south on U.S. Highway 17 when he crossed into the northbound lanes and hit a utility pole. He died at the scene of the wreck near 37th Ave South.
He is the first death in the line of duty for North Myrtle Beach police.
North Myrtle Beach police officials said hours after the officer’s death that condolences had come in from across the country.
“We have numerous, numerous condolences just in this short period of time,” Mayor Marilyn Hatley said during a Friday press conference with other city leaders.
Both of Best’s parents worked for, and retired from, the North Myrtle Beach police department. He grew up in the department serving as an intern and patrol officer before becoming a night-shift supervisor. North Myrtle Beach police was the only agency he served.
He was married and had two children. Officials asked the public to allow Best’s family time to grieve.
North Myrtle Beach police Chief Tommy Dennis said he and Best talked days ago about further promotions in the agency.
“I told him he was a rising star,” Dennis said at a Friday morning news conference with other city officials. “We got a great loss in our department.”
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 8:39 PM.
