[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING LT. DENNIS HOLMES, MILPITAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 11, 2000

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lt. Dennis 
Holmes upon his retirement from the Milpitas Police Department after 
nearly 33 years of exemplary service to law enforcement.
  Lt. Holmes joined the police force in Milpitas in 1967. He was 
promoted to sergeant in March 1974 and rose to the rank of lieutenant 
in September 1980.
  During his early years as a police officer, Lt. Holmes was the first 
officer to be selected to serve as a field-training officer. As a 
supervisor, he helped develop structured localized field-training 
programs that he managed for nearly 15 years. He sat on the advisory 
board of the regional police academy and was a strong advocate for 
specialty and professional training for all departmental employees.
  Lt. Holmes served in almost all of the available sections of the 
Milpitas Police Department. He started in Patrol, and then transferred 
into Traffic Enforcement and Investigation. He was later selected to 
head up the Traffic Section. As a sergeant he supervised in Patrol, was 
transferred into Generalist Investigations, and was then selected to 
supervise a proactive enforcement.
  As supervisor of the proactive team, drug related arrests more than 
doubled and the residential burglary rate plummeted. He also introduced 
an objective employee performance appraisal system that was later 
adopted citywide. This system has been in place with few modifications 
for over 20 years.
  As investigative lieutenant, he implemented and formalized case 
management procedures, which brought accountability to the 
investigation function. In addition, he implemented an automated case 
tracking system and instituted a subjective case-screening model.
  Lt. Holmes served as president of the Milpitas Police Officer's 
Association for 4 years. He was lead negotiator for two employee 
relations contracts, and served on two additional negotiation teams. He 
was instrumental in obtaining the first fully confidential police 
psychological counseling benefit for Milpitas police employees.
  I have highlighted some of Lt. Holmes' many accomplishments and I ask 
my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this outstanding public 
servant. He has been an innovator and a change agent in law 
enforcement. His unselfish dedication to the Milpitas community is 
appreciated and will be long remembered.

                          ____________________