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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The citizens of San Marcos suffered a tragic loss |
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when Officer Kenneth Malcolm Copeland of the San Marcos Police |
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Department lost his life in the line of duty on December 4, 2017, at |
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the age of 58; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Houma, Louisiana, Ken Copeland was born |
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on November 26, 1959, to Nile and Theo Copeland; he grew up with the |
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companionship of two brothers, David and Robert, and a sister, |
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Jennifer, and he moved with his family to Houston in 1971; after |
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graduating with a bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State |
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University, he began his law enforcement career in 1982 as a |
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corrections officer, working first in Huntsville with the Texas |
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Department of Corrections and then in San Jose, California, from |
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1988 to 1990; he went on to serve as a deputy sheriff with the Los |
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Angeles County Sheriff's Office from 1990 to 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, In March 1998, Officer Copeland took his oath as a |
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member of the San Marcos Police Department, and while fulfilling |
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his duties to the public, he continued his professional development |
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by earning certification as a master peace officer; in addition, he |
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concurrently spent 18 years in the United States Coast Guard, which |
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included service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and |
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additional work providing port security as a maritime enforcement |
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specialist in Corpus Christi; along the way, he also enjoyed |
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working with children in various capacities, and in 2017, he was |
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honored with the San Marcos PD Chief's Recognition Award for his |
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contributions as a volunteer den leader for a local in-school |
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scouting program; and |
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WHEREAS, Officer Copeland was blessed with the love and |
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support of his wife, Sheila Copeland, and he was the proud father of |
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two sets of twin boys, Nile, Noah, James, and Jonah; he also |
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treasured his nephews and nieces, Jason, Bradley, Joseph, Samantha, |
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Stephanie, and Alyssa, and his goddaughter, Sophie; and |
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WHEREAS, A courageous law enforcement officer, Ken Copeland |
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embodied the highest ideals of his profession, and although he is |
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greatly missed, his friendship, generosity, and selfless devotion |
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to his family and community will remain a lasting source of |
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inspiration; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Officer Kenneth |
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Malcolm Copeland and extend heartfelt condolences to his relatives, |
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friends, and fellow officers; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ken |
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Copeland. |