Chief Thedis L. Spencer
WADESBORO — For thirty years I have had the distinct honor to be a servant to my fellow citizens in Wadesboro and Anson County as a peace officer. For the last eleven years I have been blessed to serve alongside some of the best men and women of law enforcement in all of America in the role of Chief of Police. Many officers start their careers dreaming of being chief one day, and few achieve that honor. It does not escape me how blessed I have been to wear that badge, especially for so long.
I am also vividly aware that it has not been purely by my own doing that I got to serve the great people of the community as its Chief of Police. Many great men and women who have come before me, not just in law enforcement, but in all walks of life have provided the support and foundation for me to achieve great things and rise to the occasion. I want to especially thank my wife and my mother, two of the strongest women I’ve ever known, who have helped shape and mold me into the man, father, and leader I am today. Many leaders, both here and abroad, have shared their wisdom and counsel, and members of the community from all walks of life have done the same. In other words, it has taken a village, and I am forever in your debt.
Through these last thirty years the profession that I love, the profession that is as much a part of me as my own heart, has changed, evolved, and grown. It, like so many other things, has faced challenges that forced it to become something even greater than it was. I, and all the other officers I’ve worked alongside, have been given a special moment to be a part of a historical national movement for good, and the significance of that is not lost on me. I have always found, and I can humbly admit it, that the change is almost always for the better. I know that a new leader will step into this position with fresh ideas that will help each of you become better.
All good things however, must come to an end, and it is with a heavy heart that I want to announce to you that I will be retiring from the Wadesboro Police Department. Serving as your Chief of Police will forever be one of the greatest privileges of my life. I thank God that He has given me the gift of a servant’s heart and for a long and rewarding law enforcement career.
If you would allow me, I’d like to thank this community of incredible people for supporting me, for the Town Managers and former chief’s, Sherriff’s, and leaders from around the state for believing in me, teaching me, imparting your wisdom, and living the words that you preach through actionable leadership.
Most importantly, I want to thank my family and the men and women of the Wadesboro Police Department, both former and current, who have supported me, been loyal to me. We have the distinct honor of serving our community as its protectors.
I want to encourage you all to always remember that you carry an enormous responsibility to uphold that calling to the highest degree of integrity, courage, and honor.
Thank you Wadesboro. Thank you Anson County. This chapter had come to an end, but I know GOD has another chapter for me.
Chief Thedis L. Spencer
