81R5525 JNC-D

By: Anchia H.R. No. 1618

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The tragic death of Senior Corporal Norman Stephen Smith in the line of duty on January 6, 2009, at the age of 43, has brought a profoundly felt loss to the family and many friends of this esteemed Dallas police officer; and

WHEREAS, Senior Corporal Smith joined the Dallas P.D. in 1991, and worked for more than a decade in the department's gang unit, where he distinguished himself as an expert in his field who cared deeply about the well-being of his community; dedicated to eradicating violence from the streets of South Dallas, he helped homicide detectives solve eight murders in a two-month period by helping to identify the suspects and make arrests; and

WHEREAS, Senior Corporal Smith's exceptional efforts were recognized with a number of honors, including an award from the North Texas Crime Commission for his work with Project Safe Neighborhoods and a departmental certificate of merit for helping to shut down two Pleasant Grove-based gangs; moreover, he was named a Texas Gang Investigators Association Officer of the Year in 2006; and

WHEREAS, Born in France, Norm Smith attended a military boarding school in Dover, England, and went on to finish high school in Kaufman; he served this country as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and later became a Kaufman County sheriff's deputy; and

WHEREAS, While working for the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, he met the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life; he was a loving husband to Dallas Police Lieutenant Regina Smith for nearly two decades, and together they raised two children, Clenique and Karlis; and

WHEREAS, Those individuals who dedicate themselves to protecting and defending their fellow citizens are deserving of the heartfelt gratitude of every Texan, and the family, friends, and colleagues of this remarkable man will forever carry his memory close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Senior Corporal Norman Stephen Smith and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Lieutenant Regina Smith; to his daughter, Clenique L. Williams; to his son, Karlis Smith; to his mother and stepfather, Carolyn and Dana Long; to his sister, Michelle; to his granddaughter, Marich; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Senior Corporal Norman Stephen Smith.