Volume 14 Number 01
JAN & FEB 2014 HIGHLIGHTS
Behind The BADGE DALLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT FROM THE SHERIFF We are well into 2014 and hard at work. The Med Mod Project is coming along well as Dallas County officials formally toured the completed basement of the facility, inside the North Tower. I am proud to hear of all the positive things our employees are doing—true acts of kindness, a reflection of always being at their finest, whether on or off the clock. We had the opportunity to rejoice together when our folks got together and found the mother of two fellow employees who had been missing for several days. It’s also bittersweet to have to let go of some individuals who are moving on to new chapters in life, among them Chief Marlin Suell, as well as several retirees.
Inside this issue:
Med Mod Project
North Tower Heroes
More Acts of Kindness
Employee of the Month Honors
The Winning Mind for Women Program
Grand Prairie Dragon Boat Racing Team
Recruitment Team
Retirements
Stay Informed:
Dallas.Sheriff.Dept
—Sheriff Lupe Valdez
Med Mod Phase One Results Pictured left: County officials toured the basement of the med mod project which includes the new state of the art Parkland pharmacy.
After years of research and drafting of blueprints for an in-house medical facility at the Dallas County jail, the project is becoming a reality. Officials from Dallas County Commissioners Court, along with Parkland Hospital and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department recently toured the completed project’s first phase. Parkland Hospital staff has settled into a one-of-a-kind pharmaceutical compound where they distribute about 800 prescriptions daily to inmates—that’s an average of 22,000 prescriptions per month.
@dallas_sheriff www.dallas-sheriff.com
Officials in attendance credited everyone’s team effort for the project’s overall success and ―a beautiful example of what is still to come.‖ The project’s inception took place after other alternatives such as the outsourcing of inmate medical care, were unsuccessful. Today, the Dallas County jail medical care is acclaimed and recognized for it’s innovative style throughout the country.
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Ms. Lillie Sanders is Back at Home
Pictured above top: Search group members were honored at a March 17th event hosted by Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, where Ms. Lillie Sanders was in attendance. Pictured lower left & right: North Tower Detention Service Officers Anthony Spencer and Earnestine Lopez who discovered Ms. Sanders after just 45 minutes into the search and rescue operation. On Saturday March 1, 2014, several Dallas County Sheriff’s Department volunteers under the command of Capt. Mark Howard, began a community search and rescue operation for the mother of two fellow employees: DSO G. Sanders, North Tower-3rd Watch and DSO A. Sanders, Intake-2nd Watch. Lillie Sanders had not been seen since Feb. 23, 2014. The morning began with volunteers receiving their search area assignments based on Mapsco grids. Detention Service Officers Anthony Spencer and Earnestine Lopez, Third Watch North Tower, teamed up to search some abandoned homes on Awegua Street in South Dallas. At approximately 10:45 a.m., DSO Spencer noticed a shack behind an empty home with the door ajar about six inches. He could see two feet just inside the door of the storage shack. DSO Spencer called out to his fellow DSO and another volunteer to come assist him, for his own protection, before he entered the shack. DSO Spencer entered a dark shack, disregarding his own personal safety, and found an elderly female lying on the ground. He asked the person if she was Ms. Sanders, and she confirmed she was. DSO Spencer proceeded to ask Ms. Sanders if she felt okay, and Mrs. Sanders stated that she felt weak. He knelt down next to Ms. Sanders, and gave her some bottled water. DSO Spencer then asked DSO E. Lopez to call 9-1-1. DSO Spencer assisted Mrs. Sanders in gathering herself, picked her up in his arms and carried her outside, so that she could breathe fresh air. A Dallas Fire & Rescue team arrived on scene, placed Mrs. Sanders into an ambulance and transported her to Parkland Hospital. Operation participants and Ms. Sanders were reunited for a formal reception on March 17.
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Volume 14 Number 01
Acts of Kindness Sgt. Jay Scott, of the North Tower, recently received a correspondence (shown to the left) from a family member in Boston, Massachusetts about a 6-year-old child named Tyler Seddon who turned seven on March 6. He has leukemia and is not doing well but, he had a birthday wish of receiving birthday cards signed by officers and firemen. Sgt. Scott helped grant Tyler’s wish by collecting signatures within the jails a few weeks ago. With the assistance of the sheriff’s resources, Tyler also will receive some DSO goodies, including coloring books, key chain and pen.
Tyler’s birthday celebration was huge. Several agencies prepared a convoy and met the boy for his birthday at a reception hall in Burrillville, Rhode Island. Overall, his family received over a thousand cards from across the nation.
Liz Anderson, secretary for the North Texas Auto Theft Task Force, recently had an encounter of a lifetime. During one of her lunch walks on a freezing cold day, she began praying and thanking God for the blessing in her life. She reflected on how she wanted to be a godly woman and finished her praying. Not five minutes later, she continued her walk and discovered a crisp one-hundred dollar bill on the ground. Liz recalls: “So excited!!! I pick it up and see another, and more and more. I'm sure I looked like some crazy woman trying to pick all this money up before anyone sees me. Ok no one sees me, I hurry back into office to count money. I found $1,000.00!!!!! Omg now what do I do? I have to find the person it belongs to!!!” She asked the parking garage attendants and county security personnel with no luck as to anyone inquiring about any lost money. As she drove home, she pondered what she would do with this money. Not that long after she received a call from a co-worker who had seen someone looking for something in the parking garage. Just like that, Ms. Anderson contacted the rightful owner of the money. Looking back she simply reflects: “I kept thinking if I lost something like this I would hope someone would try return it to me!”
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Dallas County Employee of the Month Honors January 2014 - Lead Clerk Theressa Smith Lead Clerk Theressa Smith works with dispositions in the Data Management Unit inside the jail. She pulls and updates files, while assisting her team and supervisor in every which way possible. She is a great trainer who also maintains regular attendance. She started her career with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department in 2005.
January 2014 – Clerk Cheryl McElroy Clerk V Cheryl McElroy works as an out of county processing clerk in the Release Section. She volunteered for the mentorship training program for the lead clerk position in the last year and continues to be an asset to the department. Her team is very appreciative of her initiative to volunteer to lead during her supervisor’s absence. She even provides additional assistance at the book-in review desk when she completes her primary tasks. She started her career with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department in 2005.
February 2014 – Field Officer John Harris John Harris works with the North Texas Auto Theft Task Force to ensure the task force is in compliance with all state, federal, auto burglary and theft prevention authority guidelines. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership and managerial ability in supervising the complex and diversified operations of the task force. He devotes several hours to ensure the equipment is working properly and effectively. He’s always willing to assist task force members, other agencies and the general public. He started his career with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department in 1985.
February 2014 – DSO Veda Martin Detention Service Officer Veda Martin works in the West Tower. Her ambitious and willing spirit brings delight to her co-workers, as well as the medical staff for the way in which she performs all her job assignments. Her primary responsibilities are to assist the medical staff as well as to assist with the daily floor relief of her fellow officers. Martin works well under pressure and is willing to lead by example. She started her career with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department in 2007.
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The Winning Mind for Women Conference
Pictured top: Women from several law enforcement branches in attendance at the women’s conference. Pictured left: Sheriff Lupe Valdez with instructor Sgt. Betsy Smith and her husband Dave Smith. Pictured right: Sheriff Valdez with a few of the DSO employees in attendance.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department recently offered a unique course focused solely on women. ―The Winning Mind for Women‖ conference was established by retired Sgt. Betsy Smith over two decades ago. The course teaches women about resiliency in a male dominated field, not to be confused with a male bashing session. Smith goes into detail on the difference in how the mind works and suggests different approaches to addressing fellow colleagues. The day long course also honored the sacrifices of fallen officers.
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Volume 14 Number 01
In the Community
Pictured top left: DSO Recruitment Team with Congressman Marc Veasey at job fair. Pictured top right: DTO A. David at school event. Pictured center: SkillsUSA youth competition mentors which included four DSO officers. Pictured bottom: DSO D. Escobedo with students at E. Martinez Learning Center.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department continues its search of qualified candidates to join the ranks at Dallas County. They are actively recruiting at various events throughout the metroplex and also coordinate a high school intern program within the department. Among the recent events, there was a job fair in Fort Worth hosted by Congressman Marc Veasey, as well as a visit to E. Martinez Learning Center on February 28th by DSO D. Escobedo and DTO A. David. Deputy J. White along with Deputy A. Bradley, Sgt. P. Lehman and DSO T. Aguilar took a group of students to a SkillsUSA youth competition in Waco on February 7th. During this conference students gain leadership skills by learning hands on about the law enforcement field.
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Volume 14 Number 01
Happy Retirement!!
DSS Phyllis Rodarte – Release Section – SHOT Team –25 Years of Service
DSO Ed Roberts – Quality Assurance Unit – 31 Years of Service
Deputy Sherri L. Prater – Fugitive Section – 16 Years of Service
Upcoming Spring Event: Sign Up!
We’re rounding up a team for the Grand Prairie Dragon Boat Racing Festival scheduled for Sat. April 12, 2014 at Loyd Park on Joe Pool Lake. Rules require the team to have 8 women paddling at any given time. Interested ladies and gentlemen, send an email to janet.curry@dallascounty.org and you’ll receive notifications as the day approaches.
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Happy Tails, Diuk!
Dallas County Commissioners Court formally presented a resolution in honor of now retiree K-9 Diuk, who visited the court just a week earlier. K-9 Unit members were present for the resolution honoring the five and a half years Diuk served with the unit. During that time, Diuk helped his partner in the seizure of over 1,100 pounds of marijuana, over 33 pounds of cocaine, 75 pounds of methamphetamine, 9 pounds of heroin, and well over $1.3 million in cash. Happy retirement, Diuk! Thank you for your service.
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Announcements GET WELL WISHES
DEATHS
January 14, 2014: DSO Recruiter Gwendolyn Johnson, Personnel Section, had major surgery. She is doing well.
February 17, 2014: Harold O. Braswell, grandfather of Sgt. David Peal, Support Services, passed away.
DEATHS January 2, 2014: R.C. Davis, father of DSO Amanda Kelly, Release Section-Classification Unit, passed away.
February 18, 2014: Tad Domingo, brother of Carmen Clark, Clerk II-Grade 6 Vault/Property Unit-Release Section,; and also the brother-in-law of Ed Clark, Photo Lab-Management Services Division, passed away.
January 5, 2014: Larry Wayne Jackson, uncle of DSO Lisa Harris-Crane, 2nd Watch-Court Desk, passed away.
February 26, 2014: Billie Jean Jerkins-Onwumere, sister of Deputy Clendell Lewis, Frank Crowley-Court Services, passed away.
January 10, 2014: Averlee Aaron, grandmother of Tracy Aaron, Assistant Director of Food Services, passed away.
February 27, 2014: George H. James, Sr., father of Deputy Jacquelyn Flowers, Transportation Section, passed away.
January 12, 2014: Billy James Walker, brother of DSO Robert Walker, 2nd Watch-S.H.O.T./PMH; also uncle of DSO Tramekia Walker, 1st Watch-North Tower, passed away. January 15, 2014: Sherry Thomas, mother of DSO Tameka Anderson, 2nd Watch-North Tower, passed away. January 17, 2014: Marcus Babers, son of Amy Charles, Senior Sergeant-3rd Watch-Traffic Division, passed away.
Our thoughts and prayers are with each family member during this difficult time.
January 21, 2014: L.E. Turknett, father of DSO Wanda Grigsby, 3rd Watch-North Tower, passed away.
February 3, 2014: Danny Anderson, brother-in-law of Deputy Kathryn Derrick (Holder) passed away. February 4, 2014: Eddie Bjorklund, brother of Detective Robert Bjorklund, CID, passed away. February 6, 2014: Charles Edward Shaw, father of Lashon Butler, Civil/Writs Section, passed away. February 11, 2014: Leroy Holt, Jr., brother of DSO Deitra Piper, West Tower; also the uncle of DSO Latonya Neely, Release Section, passed away. February 15, 2014: Roy Thurman Tillery, father of Deputy John Tillery, George Allen-Court Services, passed away. February 17, 2014: Wayland Carter, brother of Captain Sheila Carter-Bass, Intake Division; also brother of Leo Carter-Citizen Support Team, passed away.
Sheriff’s one inch badge lapel pins $3.50 each or get 3 for $10 Contact: Marian Ogletree 214.653.3462
Dallas County Sheriff’s Department 133 N. Riverfront Blvd. LB-31 Dallas, Texas 75207-4313
For submission of a newsletter item: Carmen.Castro@dallascounty.org
For the latest updates: www.dallas-sheriff.com
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