SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 581

WHEREAS, The men and women of the Collin County Sheriff's Office are committed to serving and protecting the citizens of their county with fairness, compassion, and respect; and

WHEREAS, Created in 1846, when Collin County was organized, the sheriff's office today benefits from the able guidance of Sheriff Jim Skinner; with a staff of 518, it provides law enforcement services to the unincorporated areas of the county, as well as to 10 small cities and towns; in addition, the sheriff's office maintains a state-of-the-art detention facility that regularly houses more than 1,000 inmates on a daily basis; and

WHEREAS, Present in the chamber today are two members of this office who have exhibited extraordinary dedication in their service to the public; and

WHEREAS, A 15-year veteran of the sheriff's office, Tami McCullough serves as a housing lieutenant; on July 10, 2016, she responded to a medical emergency in the detention facility, where an inmate had choked on a mouthful of food and was lying on the floor without a pulse; acting with skill and dispatch, Lieutenant McCullough performed chest compressions on the man and cleared his airway, and she continued to perform CPR until medical personnel arrived and escorted the inmate to a local hospital; he is alive today thanks to Lieutenant McCullough's swift intervention; and

WHEREAS, Environmental Crimes Investigator Charles "Chuck" Sibley has served with the sheriff's office since May 2013; on December 26, 2015, he learned of an approaching tornado while he was off duty at his home; after ensuring the safety of his own family, he set out at great risk to himself to warn the customers and staff at several stores in nearby Copeville, and he then drove through flying debris to track the storm and report on its progress to other emergency personnel; when he reached Farmersville, he blocked southbound traffic on Highway 78 until the storm had passed; on learning shortly thereafter that the tornado had devastated the Copeville community, he returned to assist with search and rescue operations; the Hilltop Grocery store in Copeville had taken a direct hit, but because of Deputy Sibley's heroic and timely warning, three people who had sheltered in the store's cooler survived the storm uninjured; and

WHEREAS, Every day, the peace officers of Texas are called to the aid of individuals in desperate circumstances, and the actions that Lieutenant McCullough and Deputy Sibley took to save the lives of others exemplify the highest ideals of their department and their profession; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby honor the Collin County Sheriff's Office for its distinguished service to its community and extend to all its members sincere best wishes for continued success in their important work; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the Collin County Sheriff's Office as an expression of high regard by the Texas Senate. Taylor of Collin

________________________________

President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 5, 2017.

________________________________

Secretary of the Senate

________________________________

Member, Texas Senate