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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Elwood Mitchell retired as captain investigator for |
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the Harris County District Attorney's Office on December 27, 2024, |
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drawing to a close an exemplary career in law enforcement that |
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spanned more than four decades; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2017, Woody Mitchell joined the Harris County |
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Attorney's Office as a chief investigator, and four years later, he |
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was appointed to captain investigator with the DA's office; his |
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duties included overseeing the planning, forecasting, and |
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strategic direction of the Investigative Bureau; a licensed master |
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peace officer and law enforcement instructor, he supervised a team |
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of investigators, providing leadership across multiple specialized |
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divisions such as the Civil Rights and Public Corruption Division, |
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Digital Forensics Division, and Fugitive Apprehension Unit; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell spent his entire 41-year career in law |
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enforcement with Harris County, beginning as a deputy with the |
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Precinct 5 Constable's Office in 1983; two years later, he joined |
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the Harris County Sheriff's Office, working as a jailer and deputy |
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until 1997; he then accepted an investigator position with the |
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county attorney's office and was assigned to the Children's |
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Protective Division at the Texas Department of Family and |
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Protective Services and the Harris County Hospital District; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2001, Mr. Mitchell was appointed assistant chief |
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with the Precinct 4 Constable's Office; in that role, he was |
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responsible for supervising patrol operations for the jurisdiction |
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as well as overseeing 130 subdivision contract programs and school |
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police programs with the Cypress-Fairbanks and Tomball Independent |
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School Districts; he was also assigned to oversee the Civil, Writs, |
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and Warrant Divisions of the department with responsibility over |
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investigations in the High-Tech Crime Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, |
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and Game Room Task Force; moreover, he was directly involved in |
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leading-edge components of computer forensic technology in law |
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enforcement and had personnel assigned to the FBI's Greater Houston |
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Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory; and |
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WHEREAS, During his 14-year tenure as assistant chief, |
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Mr. Mitchell served with distinction and was recognized for his |
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leadership and strong relationship with subordinates and staff; his |
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thoroughness and attention to detail, though sometimes taken to |
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excess, was recognized as a valuable asset to the department; he |
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commanded a large contingent of the largest constable's office in |
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Texas and worked honestly to maintain the harmony and respect of |
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those under him; regardless of the challenges confronting him, he |
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maintained his focus on the safety and well-being of his personnel |
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and the public he was committed to serve; following his tenure with |
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the department, he served as a major with the Harris County |
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Sheriff's Office for two years, and, as a member of its Criminal |
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Investigations Bureau, he was responsible for the integrity of the |
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office's investigative operations; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell attended Sam Houston State University, |
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majoring in criminal justice, and is a graduate of the Texas |
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Constables Leadership Command College and Texas Constables |
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Leadership Institute programs of the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement |
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Management Institute of Texas; he successfully completed the FBI |
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Law Enforcement Executive Development Series, and he is also a |
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graduate of the Leadership North Houston program of the Houston |
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Northwest Chamber of Commerce, where he served as a member of the |
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board of directors; in addition, he has served on the board of |
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directors of Cypress Creek EMS; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his distinguished career with |
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Harris County law enforcement agencies, Woody Mitchell was |
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recognized with numerous awards and greatly benefited his fellow |
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citizens through his skill, professionalism, and longstanding |
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commitment to public service, and he may reflect with pride on his |
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outstanding contributions to his profession and to those he |
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influenced along the way; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Elwood Mitchell on his retirement |
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as captain investigator in the Harris County District Attorney's |
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Office and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Chief Mitchell as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |