| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 766 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Former Santa Fe police chief Jeff Powell |
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| 3 | 3 | | demonstrated exceptional skill and bravery as he led his |
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| 4 | 4 | | department after the tragic campus shooting that took place at |
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| 5 | 5 | | Santa Fe High School on May 18, 2018; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, On the day of the shooting, a 17-year-old entered |
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| 7 | 7 | | Santa Fe High School and opened fire, killing 8 students and 2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | teachers and wounding 13 others; the incident was the worst act |
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| 9 | 9 | | of campus gun violence in Texas history, and it left the small |
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| 10 | 10 | | community stunned and heartbroken over the senseless loss of 10 |
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| 11 | 11 | | innocent lives; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Chief Jeff Powell, who assumed office in August |
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| 13 | 13 | | 2016, presided over the Santa Fe Police Department and took part |
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| 14 | 14 | | in the capture and interrogation of the shooter, and the |
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| 15 | 15 | | community's authorities rose to the challenge by effectively |
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| 16 | 16 | | carrying out justice without the need for FBI intervention; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, A Santa Fe native and a graduate of Santa Fe High |
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| 18 | 18 | | School, Jeff Powell served his country in the United States |
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| 19 | 19 | | Marine Corps and pursued his career in law enforcement as a |
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| 20 | 20 | | Harris County sheriff's deputy for three years; he joined the |
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| 21 | 21 | | Palestine Police Department in August 1994 and rose from patrol |
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| 22 | 22 | | officer to positions of increasing responsibility, including |
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| 23 | 23 | | interim assistant chief; after 23 years in Palestine, he took the |
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| 24 | 24 | | reins as chief of the Santa Fe Police Department and served in |
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| 25 | 25 | | that role until his retirement in August of last year; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Chief Jeff Powell's steadfast dedication to |
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| 27 | 27 | | maintaining law, order, and public safety was of great benefit to |
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| 28 | 28 | | a community that was reeling from tragedy, and he may take pride |
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| 29 | 29 | | in the contributions that he made during this critical time; now, |
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| 30 | 30 | | therefore, be it |
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| 31 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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| 32 | 32 | | Legislature, hereby honor former Santa Fe police chief Jeff |
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| 33 | 33 | | Powell for the leadership that he provided in the aftermath of |
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| 34 | 34 | | the Santa Fe High School shooting and extend to him sincere best |
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| 35 | 35 | | wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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| 37 | 37 | | prepared for Jeff Powell as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 38 | 38 | | Texas Senate. |
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| 39 | 39 | | Taylor |
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| 40 | 40 | | ________________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | President of the Senate |
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| 42 | 42 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 43 | 43 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 44 | 44 | | the Senate on May 17, 2019. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ________________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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