First off I would like to thank my wife Kay and our children who have continued to support me in this chosen profession all of these years even when missing anniversaries, birthdays and other special events. I also would like to thank the University of Texas System Police for the opportunity offered in being just a small part of the greater team with University Police.
During my era of childhood it seemed some, including myself dreamed of growing up wanting to be a police officer. Growing up in Houston Texas and having several police officers living our neighborhood all of the boys would rush to watch them leave for work dressed in that sharp uniform, black corfram shoes and duty belt. Seeing this sometimes daily made the desire even stronger for a child who was still too young to comprehend the full extent of the job.
My family eventually settled in the East Texas area for a slower pace of life and after high school I joined the United States Marine Corps in 1977 where I served honorably until 1984 and returned home and began working in the family business until a change in economics slowed, forcing me to look for employment elsewhere.
Arriving at my new job one day I observed a stranger enter and begin to run at a fast pace through our building. Directly behind this individual I observed two well-dressed men who were giving chase and one with a weapon drawn. With the stranger now out of their sight I advised the officers his new direction of travel, to only see moments later the stranger now running back towards my direction and in the distance one of the officers shouting for assistance to stop the individual. Complying with the request I was able to slow the individual until he was detained.
Later that day the same two well-dressed men arrived back at my work requesting I accompany them to their department because their Chief wanted a word with me. Well my first instinct was “I must be in trouble”, but that chance meeting resulted in a handshake, a word of thanks for the assistance and the question of, had I ever thought of being a police officer?, wow did the childhood memories come flooding back.
Who would have ever thought this chance encounter would have resulted in my receiving a ticket to the world’s greatest show on earth since 1989 where I began my journey as a city patrol officer with the city of Jacksonville, a Deputy Sheriff with Anderson County and later an Investigator, State Investigator with the Northern Region of Texas, as well as my greatest achievement, chief of police. I have worked alongside some very great people who have shared their experience and educated me, and in return I try to share as much as I can with a younger generation of fine officers.
