On February 26, 1996, Sgt Charles Benedict "Charlie" Kubala responded to what would be his final call of service for the citizens of Sumter County. Sgt Kubala had been a member of our family faithfully serving for 13 years. His last few years he served as a shift supervisor in the Patrol Division. Charlie was married and the father of two small children at the time of his death. He was also very active in the Sumter community and was a dedicated mentor to many of the young people in the Sheriff's Office Explorer program.

    Sgt Kubala was on scene at a prowler call when he was so brutally taken from us. A couple of months after the incident a fundraiser was started to honor Charlie and raise money for his children's college. Now in it's 16th year, the annual Charlie Kubala Memorial Golf Tournament has grown into Sumter's largest golf tournament and is one of the largest in South Carolina with almost 300 players in attendance each year. The charity has also expanded to cover various costs for any children of area law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as well as an immediate benefit payment to the spouse of any local officer killed in the line of duty.