[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 7 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF ED BLACKBURN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 5, 1998

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who 
changed the face of law enforcement in my community of Hillsborough 
County and in the entire state of Florida--Ed Blackburn.
  Mr. Blackburn was elected sheriff of Hillsborough County in 1953 at a 
time when organized crime tied to gambling was pervasive in the 
community. Sheriff Blackburn joined with nearby counties to stage 
gambling raids in an effort to break up the syndicate. Together, they 
were successful in turning back crime. He worked with other sheriffs to 
found the Florida Sheriffs Bureau--the precursor to what is the Florida 
Department of Law Enforcement today. The sheriffs bureau was the first 
effort to coordinate law enforcement across the state.
  Sheriff Blackburn won a seat in the Florida House of Representatives 
in 1968 where he became a champion of law enforcement. He also served 
as a interim director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 
1979. During that time, he persuaded the Florida Legislature to fund a 
statewide crime laboratory. The crime lab is an essential tool for 
investigators as they work to establish concrete evidence against 
criminal suspects.
  There is another important legacy of Ed Blackburn--the Florida 
Sheriff's Youth Ranch. As a former law enforcement officer, Mr. 
Blackburn knew well that early efforts to steer youth away from a life 
of crime was as important as locking up a wrongdoer. Mr. Blackburn 
helped found the ranch and also served as its executive director. He 
saw firsthand countless lives transformed at the youth ranch.
  Mr. Blackburn recently passed away. I rise today in appreciation for 
Mr. Blackburn's years of selfless public service to his community and 
his state.

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