By Maxey                                               H.R. No. 312
         77R7473 GMW-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Deputy Keith George Ruiz of the Travis County
 1-2     Sheriff's Office was killed in the line of duty on February 15,
 1-3     2001, at the age of 36, and we join his family and friends in
 1-4     mourning their tragic loss; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, A valued member of the Travis County SWAT team,
 1-6     Deputy Ruiz was helping his fellow officers on the SWAT and
 1-7     Narcotics Task Force to execute a narcotics search warrant at the
 1-8     time of his death; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, Born May 2, 1964, Deputy Ruiz earned a bachelor of
1-10     science degree in criminal justice from Southwest Texas State
1-11     University, with a major in law enforcement and a minor in
1-12     sociology; continuing his education, this esteemed public servant
1-13     attained his advanced peace officer certification on February 25,
1-14     2000; and
1-15           WHEREAS, In 1988, Deputy Ruiz joined the Travis County
1-16     Sheriff's Office and was assigned to the Corrections Bureau at the
1-17     Travis County Jail; two years later he transferred to Law
1-18     Enforcement, where he served with distinction for five years before
1-19     his transfer to the Tactical Unit in 1995; and
1-20           WHEREAS, In his years with the Sheriff's Office, Deputy Ruiz
1-21     had a distinguished peacekeeping career, earning  eight letters of
1-22     commendation and 11 letters of appreciation, as well as nomination
1-23     for a 2000 Commendation Bar; and
1-24           WHEREAS, In his leisure time, this avid sportsman made
 2-1     spending time with his family a priority in his life, serving as
 2-2     his sons' T-ball and baseball coach for a decade and regularly
 2-3     planning family outings with his loved ones; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Those who serve in the field of law enforcement are
 2-5     among the most dedicated of all public servants, for they realize
 2-6     that although their efforts may place them in exceptional physical
 2-7     peril, that level of personal risk is necessary to ensure the
 2-8     public's welfare; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, Deputy Ruiz exemplifies the spirit of self-sacrifice
2-10     that is at the core of every peace officer's pledge to provide for
2-11     the public safety of everyone in the community; although his life
2-12     has been cut tragically short, his memory will live on in the
2-13     hearts and minds of the many people whose lives he touched; now,
2-14     therefore, be it
2-15           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-16     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Deputy Keith George
2-17     Ruiz and extend sincere sympathy to the members of the family he
2-18     held so dear:  to his beloved wife, Bernadette Ortiz Ruiz and sons,
2-19     Matthew Anthony, Alexander Jesse, and Joshua Keith Ruiz; to his
2-20     parents, George and Mary Ruiz; to his brother and sister-in-law,
2-21     Kenneth and Cathy Ruiz; to his sister and brother-in-law, Shirley
2-22     and Marshall Littleton; and to his other relatives and many
2-23     friends; and, be it further
2-24           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-25     prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas
2-26     House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
2-27     Travis County Sheriff's Deputy Keith George Ruiz.