CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation installed signs Thursday marking the Detective Rex Emrick Memorial Highway along State Route 56 in Pickaway County, giving the Emrick family its first look at the roadway named for the longtime sheriff’s detective who died in the line of duty nearly five years ago.
Several members of Emrick’s family attended as the signs were unveiled along SR 56 West between Five Points and the Pickaway-Madison county line, the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
The designation stems from House Bill 37, sponsored by state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, which Gov. Mike DeWine signed in August. The sheriff’s office thanked Stewart for sponsoring the legislation that made Thursday’s sign installation possible.
Emrick began his law enforcement career in 1974 with the Mount Sterling Police Department before joining the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in 1976. He was promoted to the sheriff’s detective bureau in March 1994, where he worked major cases, including homicides and child sexual abuse investigations, for the remainder of his career. He served under three sheriffs — Dwight E. Radcliff, Robert B. Radcliff and current Sheriff Matthew O. Hafey.
Emrick died Jan. 26, 2021, five weeks before his 70th birthday, after nearly 47 years in law enforcement. He received numerous honors during his career, including the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association Commendation Award, the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Law Enforcement Excellence Award and the VFW Post 331 Circleville Officer of the Year award.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.
