Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial Avenue honors Easley officer who died in line of duty

By Karen Brewer, Publisher & Editor

The stretch of road in front of the Easley Law Enforcement Center has been named Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial Avenue. (Easley Police Department photo)

The stretch of road in front of the Easley Law Enforcement Center has been named the Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial Avenue in memory of the Easley police officer who died in the line of duty, saving the life of a citizen he did not know, on August 2, 2023. A private ceremony was held the morning of Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Following is a statement from the Easley Police Department:

“This morning, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and community supporters from the City of Easley and across our state gathered with the family of Officer Matthew Hare to honor his memory and sacrifice.

“On his great grandmother’s heavenly birthday, we came together for a moving ceremony and the unveiling of road signs designating Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial Avenue.

“Officer Hare gave his life on August 2, 2023, while heroically saving someone he had never met—a true testament to his courage, compassion, and dedication to service.

“May this roadway serve as a lasting reminder of Officer Hare’s selfless commitment and the profound impact he made on so many lives. We will never forget. For E16.”

Following is the resolution passed by the South Carolina House and Senate:

“A concurrent RESOLUTION to request the Department of Transportation name the portion of Main Street in the Town of Easley in pickens County from Wilbur Street to North Pendleton Street “Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial avenue” AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS ALONG THIS PORTION OF HIGHWAY CONTAINING THESE WORDS.

“Whereas, Officer Matthew Logan Hare was born on February 3, 2001; and

“Whereas, a 2019 graduate of Easley High School, Matthew began his career in the field of law enforcement in 2022 when he enrolled in the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to excel as a law enforcement officer; and

“Whereas, upon graduating from the Criminal Justice Academy, he became an officer with the Easley Police Department; and

“Whereas, on August 2, 2023, at the age of twenty-two, and just five months after graduating from the Criminal Justice Academy, Officer Matthew Hare was struck and killed in the line of duty by an Amtrak train while attempting to save a woman who was threatening to harm herself on the railroad tracks along East Main Street in Easley; and

“Whereas, because of his bravery and heroism, in 2024, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety inducted Officer Hare into the South Carolina Law Enforcement Hall of Fame; and

“Whereas, to honor Officer Hare’s life and commemorate his unwavering commitment to duty, it would be fitting and proper to name a portion of Main Street in the Town of Easley as a memorial to this son of the Palmetto State. Now, therefore,

“Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

“That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of Transportation name the portion of Main Street in the Town of Easley in Pickens County from Wilbur Street to North Pendleton Street “Officer Matthew Logan Hare Memorial Avenue” and erect appropriate signs or markers along this portion of highway containing these words.

“Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.”