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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The citizens of San Marcos suffered a tragic loss |
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| 6 | 7 | | when Officer Kenneth Malcolm Copeland of the San Marcos Police |
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| 7 | 8 | | Department lost his life in the line of duty on December 4, 2017, at |
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| 8 | 9 | | the age of 58; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A native of Houma, Louisiana, Ken Copeland was born |
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| 10 | 11 | | on November 26, 1959, to Nile and Theo Copeland; he grew up with the |
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| 11 | 12 | | companionship of two brothers, David and Robert, and a sister, |
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| 12 | 13 | | Jennifer, and he moved with his family to Houston in 1971; after |
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| 13 | 14 | | graduating with a bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State |
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| 14 | 15 | | University, he began his law enforcement career in 1982 as a |
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| 15 | 16 | | corrections officer, working first in Huntsville with the Texas |
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| 16 | 17 | | Department of Corrections and then in San Jose, California, from |
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| 17 | 18 | | 1988 to 1990; he went on to serve as a deputy sheriff with the Los |
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| 18 | 19 | | Angeles County Sheriff's Office from 1990 to 1995; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, In March 1998, Officer Copeland took his oath as a |
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| 20 | 21 | | member of the San Marcos Police Department, and while fulfilling |
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| 21 | 22 | | his duties to the public, he continued his professional development |
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| 22 | 23 | | by earning certification as a master peace officer; in addition, he |
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| 23 | 24 | | concurrently spent 18 years in the United States Coast Guard, which |
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| 24 | 25 | | included service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and |
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| 25 | 26 | | additional work providing port security as a maritime enforcement |
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| 26 | 27 | | specialist in Corpus Christi; along the way, he also enjoyed |
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| 27 | 28 | | working with children in various capacities, and in 2017, he was |
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| 28 | 29 | | honored with the San Marcos PD Chief's Recognition Award for his |
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| 29 | 30 | | contributions as a volunteer den leader for a local in-school |
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| 30 | 31 | | scouting program; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Officer Copeland was blessed with the love and |
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| 32 | 33 | | support of his wife, Sheila Copeland, and he was the proud father of |
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| 33 | 34 | | two sets of twin boys, Nile, Noah, James, and Jonah; he also |
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| 34 | 35 | | treasured his nephews and nieces, Jason, Bradley, Joseph, Samantha, |
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| 35 | 36 | | Stephanie, and Alyssa, and his goddaughter, Sophie; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, A courageous law enforcement officer, Ken Copeland |
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| 37 | 38 | | embodied the highest ideals of his profession, and although he is |
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| 38 | 39 | | greatly missed, his friendship, generosity, and selfless devotion |
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| 39 | 40 | | to his family and community will remain a lasting source of |
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| 40 | 41 | | inspiration; now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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| 42 | 43 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Officer Kenneth |
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| 43 | 44 | | Malcolm Copeland and extend heartfelt condolences to his relatives, |
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| 44 | 45 | | friends, and fellow officers; and, be it further |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 46 | 47 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 47 | 48 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ken |
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| 48 | 49 | | Copeland. |
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