H.R. No. 109 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Norman Townsend has distinguished himself as an 1-2 exemplary agent with the Beaumont office of the Federal Bureau of 1-3 Investigation, and his colleagues there have accorded him a great 1-4 honor in naming him the 1992 Jefferson County 100 Club Federal Law 1-5 Enforcement Officer of the Year; and 1-6 WHEREAS, This award was particularly memorable for 1-7 Mr. Townsend because it represents outstanding achievement in a job 1-8 that he dreamed of having from the age of five, when his father 1-9 took him to see the movie "The FBI Stories" starring Jimmy Stewart; 1-10 and 1-11 WHEREAS, A native of Iowa, this esteemed gentleman grew up on 1-12 his father's farm, but long days of baling hay and mending fences 1-13 made him realize that he did not want a life in agriculture; after 1-14 high school, he pursued his college education at a university in 1-15 Missouri, where he earned a degree in political science; and 1-16 WHEREAS, He then achieved his dream of working for the FBI, 1-17 but his first positions were not the glamorous roles he had 1-18 envisioned; he started out as a fingerprint examiner at the 1-19 Washington, D.C., office and then transferred to the Oklahoma City 1-20 office, where he worked as an accounting technician while earning a 1-21 second degree in accounting; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend continued to work toward his goal of 1-23 becoming an agent, but the notoriously difficult FBI entrance exams 1-24 proved to be an obstacle; because he did not qualify as a candidate 2-1 the first time he took the tests, he decided to enter law 2-2 enforcement by a different route and became a special agent with 2-3 the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, a crime fighting 2-4 organization similar to the Texas Rangers; and 2-5 WHEREAS, As a member of this elite investigative force, this 2-6 determined individual gained invaluable experience in the criminal 2-7 justice field, and this, combined with his diligent studying, 2-8 enabled him to pass the rigorous FBI tests; he achieved his 2-9 lifelong ambition of becoming an FBI agent and immediately went to 2-10 work fighting crime from the bureau's Beaumont office; and 2-11 WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend's knowledge of accounting proved 2-12 extremely beneficial in investigating failed banks and savings and 2-13 loans suspected of fraud; he secured indictments against several 2-14 East Texas financial executives, thus mitigating local damage from 2-15 the nationwide savings and loan collapse; and 2-16 WHEREAS, In the past year, this valiant law enforcement 2-17 official has spearheaded "Operation Predator," a program aimed at 2-18 getting dangerous street gangs and other violent offenders off the 2-19 street; Mr. Townsend and his colleagues assigned to this task force 2-20 were instrumental in securing a federal prison sentence for a 2-21 10-member gang of youths who were responsible for a series of 2-22 robberies in Orange; and 2-23 WHEREAS, In achieving his lifelong goal of becoming an FBI 2-24 agent, Norman Townsend has succeeded in making his community and 2-25 his state safer places in which to live; his selfless commitment to 2-26 fighting crime has won him the respect and admiration of his peers, 2-27 and he is indeed worthy of special legislative recognition; now, 3-1 therefore, be it 3-2 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas 3-3 Legislature hereby commend Norman Townsend on his selection as the 3-4 1992 Jefferson County 100 Club Federal Law Enforcement Officer of 3-5 the Year and extend warmest best wishes for many more years of 3-6 continued success; and, be it further 3-7 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-8 prepared for Mr. Townsend as an expression of high regard by the 3-9 Texas House of Representatives. 3-10 prepared for Mr. Townsend as an expression of high regard by the 3-11 Texas House of Representatives. 3-12 Stiles 3-13 H.R. No. 109 3-14 _______________________________ 3-15 Speaker of the House 3-16 I certify that H.R. No. 109 was adopted by the House on March 3-17 11, 1993, by a non-record vote. 3-18 _______________________________ 3-19 Chief Clerk of the House