| 1 | 1 | | 89R24336 BK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hefner H.R. No. 862 |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Deputy Melissa Pollard of the Wood County Sheriff's |
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| 9 | 9 | | Office died in the line of duty on April 9, 2025, at the age of 47, |
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| 10 | 10 | | and her untimely passing has brought a heartbreaking loss to her |
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| 11 | 11 | | family, her fellow officers, and her community; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Born on March 14, 1978, in Paris, Texas, to Leonard |
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| 13 | 13 | | Keith and Pamela Vickers Pollard, Melissa Pollard grew up with the |
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| 14 | 14 | | companionship of two sisters, Kelee and Angela; she embarked on a |
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| 15 | 15 | | career in law enforcement in Collin County in 2003, and she remained |
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| 16 | 16 | | there for a decade before transferring to Fannin County in 2013; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Deputy Pollard had been a valued member of the Wood |
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| 18 | 18 | | County Sheriff's Office since 2016; she fulfilled her duties with |
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| 19 | 19 | | honor, skill, and compassion, and she greatly benefited her |
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| 20 | 20 | | department through her efforts to train and mentor newer recruits; |
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| 21 | 21 | | over the course of her 22-year career, she furthered her |
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| 22 | 22 | | professional development by earning certifications as an advanced |
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| 23 | 23 | | peace officer, field training officer, instructor, training |
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| 24 | 24 | | coordinator, jailer, and school-based law enforcement officer; in |
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| 25 | 25 | | recognition of her service and sacrifice, she was awarded the |
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| 26 | 26 | | Police Cross; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Outside of her professional endeavors, Deputy |
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| 28 | 28 | | Pollard was an active supporter of Project Lifesaver, a program |
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| 29 | 29 | | that assists individuals with cognitive disorders, and she |
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| 30 | 30 | | tirelessly advocated for the well-being of animals through her |
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| 31 | 31 | | involvement with the SPCA; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to her family, Deputy Pollard was the |
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| 33 | 33 | | loving mother of a daughter, Sydney, as well as the doting "Mimi" of |
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| 34 | 34 | | three grandchildren, Cayden, Evelynn, and Khai; she also adored her |
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| 35 | 35 | | two Great Danes, Apollo and Nova, and she enjoyed spending her |
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| 36 | 36 | | leisure time fishing and tending to her garden; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Melissa Pollard dedicated her life to her loved ones |
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| 38 | 38 | | and to the welfare of her community, and although she is deeply |
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| 39 | 39 | | missed, she will remain a source of inspiration to all who were |
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| 40 | 40 | | fortunate enough to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Deputy Melissa |
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| 43 | 43 | | Pollard and extend heartfelt condolences to the members of her |
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| 44 | 44 | | family: to her daughter, Sydney Locke, and her husband, Curtis; to |
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| 45 | 45 | | her grandchildren, Cayden, Evelynn, and Khai; to her sisters, Kelee |
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| 46 | 46 | | Tarno and her husband, John, and Angela Fein and her husband, Josh; |
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| 47 | 47 | | to her partner, Michael Cotton, and his grandson, Easton; to her |
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| 48 | 48 | | nieces and nephews, Ashlynn, Marissa, Joisalyn, Shayla, Haegan, |
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| 49 | 49 | | Keithan, David, and Logan and his wife, Reagan; and to her other |
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| 50 | 50 | | relatives and friends and to her brothers and sisters in blue; and, |
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| 51 | 51 | | be it further |
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| 52 | 52 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 53 | 53 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 54 | 54 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Melissa |
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| 55 | 55 | | Pollard. |
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