| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 887 |
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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, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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| 6 | 6 | | a close with the passing of former Greenville assistant chief of |
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| 7 | 7 | | police William Edward Cole on March 19, 2023, at the age of 64; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The son of John Marvin Cole and Ora Christine |
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| 9 | 9 | | Ashburn, Will Cole was born in Amarillo on October 27, 1958; later |
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| 10 | 10 | | in life, he became the proud father of a daughter, Ashley; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Cole worked as a tile and carpet layer before |
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| 12 | 12 | | embarking on a rewarding career in law enforcement; he joined the |
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| 13 | 13 | | Greenville Police Department in 1987, and over the course of his |
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| 14 | 14 | | exemplary 35-year tenure, he distinguished himself in numerous |
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| 15 | 15 | | positions, including as patrol captain, patrol lieutenant, |
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| 16 | 16 | | criminal investigations division lieutenant, field training |
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| 17 | 17 | | officer, tactical officer, commander of the emergency response and |
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| 18 | 18 | | tactical teams, and interim chief of police; he was named assistant |
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| 19 | 19 | | chief in October 2019, and he served in that role until his |
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| 20 | 20 | | retirement in June 2022; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Among his many honors, Mr. Cole received the Police |
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| 22 | 22 | | Commendation Medal, a Certificate of Civic Achievement, and the |
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| 23 | 23 | | Kiwanis Officer of the Year award; he held a bachelor's degree in |
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| 24 | 24 | | criminal justice, as well as certification as a master peace |
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| 25 | 25 | | officer, and he graduated from the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement |
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| 26 | 26 | | Management Institute of Texas Leadership Command College; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Deeply dedicated to his community, Mr. Cole played |
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| 28 | 28 | | an instrumental role in the development of the Chief's Working |
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| 29 | 29 | | Group; he was also an active member of his church, Family Fellowship |
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| 30 | 30 | | Greenville, where he served in the children's ministry for more |
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| 31 | 31 | | than two decades and helped establish the Family Fellowship Safety |
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| 32 | 32 | | Team; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, An engaged citizen and an admired public servant, |
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| 34 | 34 | | Will Cole leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire all |
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| 35 | 35 | | those who were fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of William Edward Cole |
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| 38 | 38 | | and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and many friends; and, |
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| 39 | 39 | | be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 41 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 42 | 42 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Will Cole. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Slaton |
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| 44 | 44 | | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 46 | 46 | | I certify that H.R. No. 887 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 47 | 47 | | rising vote of the House on April 14, 2023. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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