[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E14]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO MARQUETTE POLICE CHIEF SAL SARVELLO ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 
                               RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 3, 2001

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, as you and our House colleagues are aware, I 
have worked since my first day in Congress to bring a broad awareness 
of the needs and concerns of law enforcement officials to the floor of 
this chamber. I experience the great joy of this personal mission when 
I can speak, as I do today, to celebrate the career and dedication of a 
law enforcement officer at the house of this retirement.
  Police Chief Salvatore Sarvello joined the Marquette, Michigan, 
Police Department as a patrolman in 1971, about the same time that I 
was joining public safety department in the nearby community of 
Escanaba. Our careers took different paths--I became a Michigan State 
Trooper and eventually entered politics, while Sal worked his way up 
through his department, becoming chief in 1995. Despite our different 
paths, we had numerous opportunities to work together, perhaps most 
significantly on the issue of methcathinone, an illegal drug that 
plagued northern Michigan for several years. Production of this drug, 
commonly known as CAT, took root in our area. With the help of Sal and 
other investigators in the region, I was able to develop legislation--
my very first piece of federal legislation signed into law--that took 
the claws out of this highly addictive substance.
  Sal has always been a supporter of the COPS program, the wonderfully 
ambition and successful plan to help cities, counties, townships and 
other municipalities hire additional law enforcement officers. I have 
worked hard in Congress to ensure this program continued to receive 
funding until the goal of hiring 100,000 new officers by the 2000 was 
reached, and the support grass-roots support of officers like Chief 
Salvatore was essential in accomplishing this task. I worked with Sal 
for the visit of Vice President Al Gore, first in 1992 as part of a 
campaign swing for the Clinton-Gore ticket, and again in `94. I 
appreciate and applaud his professionalism in dealing with the 
complications, uncertainties and last-minute decisions associated with 
a visit on short notice of a national political to a small community.
  A recent article in the Marquette Mining Journal notes that Chief 
Sarvello's law enforcement career actually goes back to the mid-60s, 
when he served as a U.S. Air Force Security police officer in Vietnam. 
This lifetime of public service, the article notes won't end with the 
Chief's retirement, because he plans to remain active with the 
Marquette West Rotary Club and with his parish, St. Michael's Catholic 
Church.
  The chief looks forward to spending more time with Joan, his wife of 
34 years, and his sons, Michael and Scott. At a special gathering 
Friday, the community will have a chance to wish the best to its 
retiring chief. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in 
offering our thanks to this dedicated public servant, Chief Sal 
Sarvello, for a job well done.

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