Myrtle Beach police officer Chris Smith is fulfilling a childhood dream and on Monday he was recognized as one of the department’s finest with the Officer Joe McGarry Memorial Police Officer of the Year 2014 award.

Smith, an eight-year veteran of the department and a patrolman first class, was among seven officers nominated for the award, which is in its 49th year and presented by the Myrtle Beach Rotary Club.

“It means heard work pays off and I’m extremely honored to have been nominated,” Smith said after receiving the award Monday during a luncheon at the Ocean Reef Resort. “Myrtle Beach Police Department has a group of some of the best police officers around. I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with the best.”