South Carolina General Assembly
120th Session, 2013-2014

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S. 1131

STATUS INFORMATION

Senate Resolution
Sponsors: Senator Shealy
Document Path: l:\s-res\ks\037pats.mrh.ks.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 5185

Introduced in the Senate on March 18, 2014
Adopted by the Senate on March 18, 2014

Summary: Patsy Rauton Lightle

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   3/18/2014  Senate  Introduced and adopted (Senate Journal-page 6)

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

3/18/2014

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A SENATE RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR PATSY RAUTON LIGHTLE OF LEXINGTON FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE AS A STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (SLED) AGENT, CHILD AND VULNERABLE ADULT ADVOCATE, AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER FOR HER UNTIRING EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF ABUSE AND THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF LIFE FOR OUR VOICELESS VICTIMS.

Whereas, with great pleasure, the South Carolina Senate honors individuals who give of their time and resources for the good of others; and

Whereas, Patsy Lightle has served the children, vulnerable adults and elderly in the state unceasingly to combine forensic and investigative technique for the thorough and methodical investigation of abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and

Whereas, born in Augusta, Georgia on February 25, 1954, Patsy, daughter of loving, Christian parents, Mr. and Mrs. George William Rauton, Jr., sister to Dr. Bill Rauton, reared and educated in Johnston, South Carolina, where she was active in the Head Start program and was an All Star, All Conference basketball player for Strom Thurmond High School; and

Whereas, she attended Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, where she was on the Dean's List, Vice President of the Junior Class, started the Science Club at Irmo High School while student teaching and is now serving on the Columbia College Advisory Board for the Criminal Justice Program; and

Whereas, continuing to excel academically at Baptist Medical Center, she graduated with honors as a Medical Technologist; and

Whereas, to enhance her desire to be a forensic pediatrician, she applied and was hired at the State Law Enforcement Division as a forensic analyst and crime scene investigator, now known as a CSI investigator; and

Whereas, she researched and developed the State of South Carolina Sexual Assault Kit that was subsequently adopted by the FBI as the national model; and

Whereas, she attended the FBI Academy and obtained post-graduate credit from the University of Virginia in Forensics; and

Whereas, as Lieutenant, she attended the FBI Academy to study forensic DNA, researched and designed the startup of the SLED DNA Laboratory and received a national award for standardizing and coordinating sexual assault evidence collection for South Carolina and for her efforts in protecting the rights of Crime Victims by the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network; and

Whereas, in 1993, when the South Carolina Legislature created the Department of Child Fatalities, that mandated a thorough investigation of unexpected and unexplained child deaths, Lieutenant Patsy Lightle was chosen to develop and lead this new unit; and

Whereas, in 2006, when the South Carolina Legislature mandated the investigation of abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults by creating the SLED Vulnerable Adult Investigation Unit, again, Patsy Lightle, now Captain, was chosen to develop and lead that unit, and both units were ultimately placed under the umbrella of the Special Victims Unit ably supervised by Captain Patsy Lightle; and

Whereas, in 2006, the Governor awarded Captain Patsy Lightle the Order of the Palmetto, in recognition of her compassion, knowledge and skills in investigating crimes against our most vulnerable populace in our state; and

Whereas, because of methodical and thorough investigations, attention for details, and for being the voice of those that cannot speak for themselves, she led a transformation to a quality that has made a difference for those that have lost loved ones to abuse, neglect and exploitation; and

Whereas, Patsy Lightle is the mother of two wonderful children, daughter, Kimberly Habben Barringer, who has distinguished herself as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and son, William Rauton Lightle, Honors Student at University of South Carolina who will be pursuing his love of medicine by attending medical school in 2014; and

Whereas, although Captain Patsy Lightle is retiring from the routine practice of forensic science and investigations, she is not retiring from the cause of child abuse, neglect and homicides; and

Whereas, she is continuing her deep desire to help those that cannot help themselves, by working part-time at the USC School of Law Children's Law Center; and

Whereas, she plans to enjoy the extra hours of leisure in her well-deserved retirement enjoying her family and friends, and relaxing on the tennis courts and beaches of our fine state; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are grateful for the lifelong service and devotion that Patsy Rauton Lightle has lavished on her family, her friends, her agents and victims of abuse, and to all who have been touched by this one daughter of South Carolina. Now therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the Senate, by this resolution, recognize and honor Captain Patsy Rauton Lightle of Lexington for thirty-five years of outstanding service as a forensic scientist, investigator, victim advocate and educator and congratulate her for her untiring efforts to enhance the quality of investigations and safety for our most vulnerable population.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Captain Patsy Rauton Lightle.

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