Each year, the men and women of the Pell City Police Department gather alongside the public outside City Hall to pay tribute to two officers who gave their lives in service to the community – Officer Greg Surles and Lt. Richard Woods.
The Department’s entrance is flanked by stone monuments that honor these fallen officers. On May 15, 2025, during National Police Week, the Woods and Surles families joined the department for this annual recognition of their heroism and sacrifice at the site of these permanent memorials.
The event, led by Pell City Police Chief Clay Morris, included remarks of faith and gratitude from Rev. Scotty Pinson and a performance by Barrett Haynes.
“The brave men and women who serve in our City put their lives at risk every day,” Pinson told the crowd. “I am forever grateful for the service and sacrifice of these great leaders. We should always stand with them, keep them and their families in our prayers, and show them the respect and support they deserve.”
Pell City Police Officer Surles died from injuries he sustained when an 18-wheeler collided with his patrol vehicle in 2008. Lt. Woods died of a heart attack in 2015. His symptoms began while assisting two women who were trapped in their vehicle following a traffic accident.
“Our work is worth doing,” Chief Morris said to the families of Officer Surles and Lt. Woods. “For Richard and Greg, that work was protecting this community, protecting the lives of others, upholding justice, and ensuring peace. We put on the uniform each day and confront the unknown, driven by a sense of duty and an unyielding commitment to the communities we serve. Our courage is not the absence of fear. It’s the mastery of it.
“Greg and Richard’s sacrifice is a testament to their courage and commitment. Their legacy lives on every day in the lives they touched, in our department, and in this community. We will never forget them.”