H.R. No. 727
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, John N. Vasquez was recognized by the Austin History
Center in conjunction with its exhibit Mexican American Firsts:
Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County; and
WHEREAS, Honoring the important contributions made by
Mexican Americans to Central Texas, the Austin History Center and
its association joined with the Austin Public Library to organize
the show, which ran from August 21, 2010, through January 16, 2011;
Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County
celebrated the pioneering achievements of 32 remarkable men and
women and provided the public with an opportunity to learn more
about their lives; and
WHEREAS, One such individual, John Vasquez, was honored for
his achievements in public service; in 1961, Mr. Vasquez applied
for a cadet position with the Austin Police Department but was
turned down because it was claimed he was too small; he appealed the
decision and won, becoming only the fourth Hispanic on the Austin
police force; moreover, his appeal set the tenor for a career in law
enforcement in which he would challenge the status quo; and
WHEREAS, In 1966, he took the promotional exam for sergeant;
despite being told by other officers he should not bother, he
achieved the second-highest score and became the first Hispanic
sergeant in the APD; he was promoted to lieutenant in 1971 after
scoring highest on its qualifying exam; with his new rank, he was
assigned to the recruiting division, where he worked tirelessly to
create a more diverse police force; in 1979, he became the first
Hispanic APD police captain and headed the criminal investigations
bureau; Captain Vasquez retired in 1989, widely recognized for
having broken barriers for Hispanic police on the Austin force; and
WHEREAS, John Vasquez has made a positive difference in his
community, and his outstanding accomplishments are a source of
pride and inspiration to many people; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate John N. Vasquez on his selection as
a Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis County and
extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Captain Vasquez as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Rodriguez
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 727 was adopted by the House on March
17, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House