Long before he was a chief of the New Florence Police Department, Tyler Beasley was passionate about cars.

At one point, he wanted to work in the auto mechanic industry. So he went to the East Coast and attended Baran Institute of Technology in Connecticut.

But after having a family, things changed for Beasley.

“He was tired of not being able to financially support his family in the way that he wanted to,” said Cindy Beasley, Tyler’s mother. “He wanted a career, so he came to me and said, ‘Mom, I want a career like you had a career.’ I said, ‘Fine.’”

Tyler Beasley switched his career to law enforcement. He joined the New Florence Police Department in September 2023 after working at the Reynolds County Sheriff’s Office and the New Haven Police Department. He worked at New Florence for three years before his untimely death at age 36 on April 30.

“He really found his niche,” Cindy Beasley said. “I was very proud of what he accomplished in his short 36 years.”

The New Florence community paid its respects to the police chief at the Tyler Beasley Family Fundraiser on July 11 at New Florence City Park. A candlelight vigil was held in the middle of a baseball field, where about 50 people gathered with a moment of silence and the playing of the song, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” by Lee Greenwood.

“I’m just going to say thank you all,” Cindy Beasley said to the people who attended the vigil. “It’s hard to live without him, but I know I’ll see him someday.”

The Chief Mason Griffith Foundation organized the event, which included silent and live auctions. Proceeds will help support Beasley’s wife, Jennifer, and his three children.

The foundation’s goal is to raise $200,000 to pay for the home so the family doesn’t have to relocate.

“The Mason Griffith Foundation has been more than just fantastic to me personally, not to have to afford a funeral and the last remains with a headstone and all different sorts of things,” Cindy Beasley said. “It financially helped me and helped my daughter-in-law immensely.”

Angie Koepke, the director of daily operations of the Griffith Foundation, announced during the vigil that the organization has started a chapter in honor of Tyler Beasley in Montgomery County. The foundation now has four chapters.

“When we take on a family, we not only help with the final expenses, but we take on family because they’re family,” Koepke said. “That means we help with the kids throughout until they age out. We’re here for support. You can yell and you can cry. But we can not do this without support from our communities. Why we’re here today is to tell you guys thank you.”

Tyler Beasley was from Columbia. He was born in Brooksville, Fla., 45 miles north of Tampa.

Cindy Beasley got her son when he was six weeks old.

“Whenever we got him, I dipped his toes in Alexander Springs,” she said.
Tyler graduated from Hickman High School in Columbia. He worked as an auto mechanic for 10 years before his career change.

Cindy said even though he had a new job, he was still into cars. He has a car sitting in the garage of his mother’s house.

“It’s a 1984 Mazda that he took on as a project when he was 13,” Cindy said. “I think it has a motor in it that is big enough to fit an airplane.”

A fireworks display was held moments after the candlelight vigil. Cindy said she was thrilled with the support at the fundraising event, which ran for five hours.

“It’s heartwarming, overwhelming and it makes me proud of the great job that my son did to serve his community,” she said.