| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1390 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The death of former Wichita Falls police chief |
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| 6 | 6 | | Curtis R. Harrelson on March 29, 2009, at the age of 69, has deeply |
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| 7 | 7 | | saddened the community he served with enormous dedication for more |
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| 8 | 8 | | than three decades; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A native of Wichita Falls, Mr. Harrelson was born on |
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| 10 | 10 | | March 31, 1939, to Wilson and Mabel Harrelson; his family moved to |
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| 11 | 11 | | Archer City when he was 10, and after graduation from Archer City |
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| 12 | 12 | | High School, he enlisted in the United States Army; on May 1, 1959, |
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| 13 | 13 | | he married the former Martha Jean Worley, and while he was serving |
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| 14 | 14 | | as a military police officer in Huntsville, Alabama, the couple |
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| 15 | 15 | | became the proud parents of two sons; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Harrelson joined the Wichita Falls Police |
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| 17 | 17 | | Department in 1962 and worked as a juvenile investigator and auto |
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| 18 | 18 | | theft investigator before helping to organize the narcotics |
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| 19 | 19 | | section; while rising through the ranks, he graduated from the FBI |
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| 20 | 20 | | National Academy and earned his bachelor's degree in criminal |
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| 21 | 21 | | justice from Midwestern State University; he became chief of police |
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| 22 | 22 | | in March 1977 and his strong leadership was crucial when a tornado |
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| 23 | 23 | | struck the city some two years later; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, During his 20-year tenure as chief, Curtis Harrelson |
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| 25 | 25 | | worked diligently to place his department at the forefront of crime |
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| 26 | 26 | | prevention; he instituted Operation ID and neighborhood watch |
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| 27 | 27 | | programs that influenced other departments, and collaborated with |
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| 28 | 28 | | numerous law enforcement agencies to establish the North Texas |
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| 29 | 29 | | Regional Drug Enforcement Task Force; in addition, he reinstated |
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| 30 | 30 | | the department's motorcycle unit and K9 teams; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Chief Harrelson was a mentor to countless young |
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| 32 | 32 | | officers and a role model in the wider community; he founded Police |
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| 33 | 33 | | Explorer Post 500 to introduce teenagers to career opportunities in |
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| 34 | 34 | | law enforcement and helped area residents form a Wichita Falls |
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| 35 | 35 | | Crime Stoppers organization; his writing talent enlivened the |
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| 36 | 36 | | departmental newsletter he started, and he published a moving |
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| 37 | 37 | | article in Texas Police Journal headlined "Who says cops don't |
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| 38 | 38 | | cry?"; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | WHEREAS, From an early age, this dynamic Texan loved |
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| 40 | 40 | | aviation, and after his retirement in 1997, he flew pipeline for 11 |
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| 41 | 41 | | years; a certified FAA instructor, he taught many people to become |
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| 42 | 42 | | pilots; he was a valued member of Faith Village Church of Christ and |
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| 43 | 43 | | a devoted family man who enjoyed spending time with his seven |
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| 44 | 44 | | grandchildren; his many interests included hunting, four-wheeling, |
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| 45 | 45 | | and working on the computer, and he belonged to the Rockin Wheels |
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| 46 | 46 | | chapter of the Good Sam Club for RV travelers; moreover, he |
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| 47 | 47 | | participated in such activities as the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred |
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| 48 | 48 | | bicycling event; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | WHEREAS, Curtis Harrelson was widely admired for his |
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| 50 | 50 | | integrity, professionalism, and commitment to public safety, and he |
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| 51 | 51 | | had a positive impact on Wichita Falls that continues to resonate; |
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| 52 | 52 | | he will long be remembered by the many people whose lives he |
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| 53 | 53 | | touched; now, therefore, be it |
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| 54 | 54 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 55 | 55 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Curtis R. Harrelson |
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| 56 | 56 | | and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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| 57 | 57 | | wife, Jean Harrelson; to his sons, David Harrelson and his wife, |
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| 58 | 58 | | Beth, and Dennis Harrelson and his wife, Sue; to his daughter, Dana |
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| 59 | 59 | | Wilson, and her husband, Randal; to his grandchildren, Jared, Josh, |
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| 60 | 60 | | Caleb, Casey, Kari, Stephen, and Daniel; to his brother, Don |
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| 61 | 61 | | Harrelson, and his wife, Donna; to his sister, Carolyn Askins, and |
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| 62 | 62 | | her husband, Sammie; to his mother-in-law, Lucille Worley; to his |
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| 63 | 63 | | brother-in-law, William Worley, and his wife, Beverly; and to his |
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| 64 | 64 | | many other relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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| 65 | 65 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 66 | 66 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 67 | 67 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Curtis |
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| 68 | 68 | | Harrelson. |
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| 69 | 69 | | Farabee |
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| 70 | 70 | | ______________________________ |
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| 71 | 71 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 72 | 72 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1390 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 73 | 73 | | rising vote of the House on April 27, 2009. |
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| 74 | 74 | | ______________________________ |
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| 75 | 75 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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