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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Deputy Melissa Pollard of the Wood County Sheriff's |
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Office died in the line of duty on April 9, 2025, at the age of 47, |
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and her untimely passing has brought a heartbreaking loss to her |
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family, her fellow officers, and her community; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on March 14, 1978, in Paris, Texas, to Leonard |
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Keith and Pamela Vickers Pollard, Melissa Pollard grew up with the |
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companionship of two sisters, Kelee and Angela; she embarked on a |
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career in law enforcement in Collin County in 2003, and she remained |
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there for a decade before transferring to Fannin County in 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, Deputy Pollard had been a valued member of the Wood |
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County Sheriff's Office since 2016; she fulfilled her duties with |
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honor, skill, and compassion, and she greatly benefited her |
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department through her efforts to train and mentor newer recruits; |
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over the course of her 22-year career, she furthered her |
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professional development by earning certifications as an advanced |
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peace officer, field training officer, instructor, training |
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coordinator, jailer, and school-based law enforcement officer; in |
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recognition of her service and sacrifice, she was awarded the |
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Police Cross; and |
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WHEREAS, Outside of her professional endeavors, Deputy |
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Pollard was an active supporter of Project Lifesaver, a program |
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that assists individuals with cognitive disorders, and she |
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tirelessly advocated for the well-being of animals through her |
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involvement with the SPCA; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to her family, Deputy Pollard was the |
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loving mother of a daughter, Sydney, as well as the doting "Mimi" of |
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three grandchildren, Cayden, Evelynn, and Khai; she also adored her |
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two Great Danes, Apollo and Nova, and she enjoyed spending her |
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leisure time fishing and tending to her garden; and |
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WHEREAS, Melissa Pollard dedicated her life to her loved ones |
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and to the welfare of her community, and although she is deeply |
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missed, she will remain a source of inspiration to all who were |
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fortunate enough to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Deputy Melissa |
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Pollard and extend heartfelt condolences to the members of her |
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family: to her daughter, Sydney Locke, and her husband, Curtis; to |
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her grandchildren, Cayden, Evelynn, and Khai; to her sisters, Kelee |
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Tarno and her husband, John, and Angela Fein and her husband, Josh; |
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to her partner, Michael Cotton, and his grandson, Easton; to her |
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nieces and nephews, Ashlynn, Marissa, Joisalyn, Shayla, Haegan, |
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Keithan, David, and Logan and his wife, Reagan; and to her other |
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relatives and friends and to her brothers and sisters in blue; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Melissa |
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Pollard. |
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Hefner |
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Luther |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 862 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 23, 2025. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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