| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 834 |
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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, Chief Gary O. Smith of the Temple Police Department |
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| 6 | 6 | | is celebrating 30 years of service with the department in 2009; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, Chief Smith joined the department in 1979; a native |
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| 8 | 8 | | of Temple, he was born in Scott & White Memorial Hospital and |
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| 9 | 9 | | graduated from Temple High School in 1978; continuing his |
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| 10 | 10 | | education, he went on to earn an associate's degree in applied |
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| 11 | 11 | | sciences from Temple Junior College in 1981; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Fulfilling a childhood dream of a career in law |
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| 13 | 13 | | enforcement, Gary Smith first worked for the police department |
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| 14 | 14 | | part-time, in the jail and the photo lab; eight months later, he |
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| 15 | 15 | | became a full-time dispatcher; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, He soon became a patrol officer, at a time when a new |
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| 17 | 17 | | recruit was simply handed a badge and a gun and sent out on the |
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| 18 | 18 | | streets with another officer; after two months on the job, he |
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| 19 | 19 | | embarked on his formal training as a cadet at the police academy; |
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| 20 | 20 | | and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Chief Smith excelled at his job from the beginning |
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| 22 | 22 | | of his career; he was named Rookie of the Year in 1981, and five |
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| 23 | 23 | | years later he was recognized as Officer of the Year; in 1988, he |
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| 24 | 24 | | established the department's Tactical Unit, and shortly thereafter |
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| 25 | 25 | | distinguished himself as the unit's leader; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, This outstanding law enforcement professional |
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| 27 | 27 | | graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in 1991, and |
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| 28 | 28 | | four years later he was promoted to commander and put in charge of |
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| 29 | 29 | | the newly created Operations Division; Commander Smith then served |
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| 30 | 30 | | three stints as interim chief until he was sworn in as Temple police |
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| 31 | 31 | | chief in 2004; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure with the department, Chief |
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| 33 | 33 | | Smith has enjoyed the unwavering support of his wife and three |
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| 34 | 34 | | children, and his dedication to duty, commitment to excellence, and |
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| 35 | 35 | | compassion for others have earned him the lasting respect and |
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| 36 | 36 | | admiration of his fellow officers and the greater community; now, |
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| 37 | 37 | | therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 39 | 39 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Chief Gary O. Smith on his 30 years |
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| 40 | 40 | | with the Temple Police Department and extend to him sincere best |
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| 41 | 41 | | wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it further |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 43 | | prepared for Chief Smith as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 44 | 44 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Sheffield |
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| 46 | 46 | | ______________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | 48 | | I certify that H.R. No. 834 was adopted by the House on April |
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| 49 | 49 | | 1, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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