Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Curtis Pope succumbed to injuries sustained on January 21, 1943, almost 11 months earlier, when a portion of his nose was bitten off while attempting to arrest a man for passing a bad check.
When Constable Pope told the man he was under arrest, the man grabbed onto a post on the front porch and refused to comply.
Without warning, the man then punched Constable Pope in the stomach, knocking him to the ground, and then jumped on top of him. The man then bit off a portion of Constable Pope's nose during the ensuing struggle. Constable Pope was able to stop the assault by shooting the suspect four times.
After being shot, the suspect stated he was going to get his gun and Constable Pope sought medical assistance at a neighbor's house. The suspect was taken into custody by responding officers. The man was taken to a local hospital where he died several days later.
Constable Pope contracted a blood stream infection as a result of the injury to his nose. He was taken to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to undergo treatment of the new drug penicillin. He returned to Lancaster without improving and died of his injuries on December 11, 1943.
Constable Pope is survived by his wife, two daughters, a brother, and four sisters.
Survivors
Constable Pope is survived by his wife, two daughters, a brother, and four sisters.
In Our Keeping
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Pope served with the Lancaster County Magistrate's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lancaster community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Pope.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Curtis James Pope is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Lancaster County Magistrate's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Curtis James Pope's cause is highlighted.
How Curtis James Pope Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Curtis James Pope is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Curtis James Pope was killed by person.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Lancaster County Magistrate's Office are honored on badge.nw.
