[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 32 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TOM NEWSHAM: A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 1997

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, the strength of this country rests among a 
select group of men and women that are entrusted with the 
responsibility of public safety. These individuals put their own lives 
at risk to that neighborhoods across the country are kept safe and 
citizens in these neighborhoods feel personally secure.
  I would like to take this time to commend a man of great honor and 
integrity that has devoted his life to keeping communities safe. This 
man is Bay County deputy sheriff Thomas A. Newsham, who has served as a 
police officer in Michigan for over 20 years.
  In 1974 Tom started his career in law enforcement when he was hired 
at the Bay County Sheriff's Department as a deputy sheriff for road 
patrol. Tom performed admirably in this position for many years and 
received number distinctions along the way. These include a Meritorious 
Service Award for excellence and dedication and an Exemplary Service 
Award for his work at a crisis hotline.
  In 1984 Tom was promoted to sergeant II on road patrol and shortly 
thereafter received a supervisory certificate at the Law Enforcement 
Officer Training Council. As Tom was moving up professionally, he began 
to devote more time to a personal priority of his--keeping children off 
drugs. Tom committed himself to learning how to counsel kids to stay 
off drugs through Drug Abuse Resistance Education and D.A.R.E. 
instruction. In 1995 Tom became a D.A.R.E. officer, going to different 
schools to talk to kids about their opportunities in life and to 
discourage them from using drugs.
  At the same time, Tom was taking classes in community policing 
services from Lansing Community College, earned his B.A. from Saginaw 
Valley State University and received advanced training in critical 
incident stress debriefing.
  This month, Tom is retiring from the Bay County Sheriff's Department 
and I think all would agree that we are losing an outstanding law 
enforcement officer who combines skill, professionalism, and 
compassion. I want to thank Tom for his years of service to the 
community which I represent here in Congress and to wish him all the 
best in his retirement years.

                          ____________________