[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 133 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2044-E2045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN HONOR OF SHERIFF MARK TRACY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 17, 2004

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark Tracy who is 
retiring after ten years as the Santa Cruz County Sheriff. Mr. Tracy's 
lifelong dedication to the Santa Cruz community consists of over 32 
years as a police officer, as well as numerous volunteer and leadership 
positions within local organizations. Beginning his career as a Deputy 
Sheriff with Santa Cruz County, Mark rose through the ranks to become a 
Sergeant and a Lieutenant. He was elected Sheriff-Coroner of Santa Cruz 
County in 1994.
  During his years with the Sheriff's Office, Mark has worked in and 
represented nearly every bureau and capacity in the department and has 
received numerous awards and commendations. Notably, he has acted as 
Coordinator of the Search and Rescue Team, was a founding member of the 
Hostage Negotiating Team, and has served as Chairman for both the Santa 
Cruz County Criminal Justice Council and the Santa Cruz County 
Commission on Domestic Violence. By establishing the Domestic Violence 
Unit and working with advocacy groups throughout the county, he has 
promoted better services to victims of domestic abuse. Additionally, 
Sheriff Tracy established the High Tech Crime Unit to address the 
growing problem of identity theft and computer crimes.
  In his career as Sheriff, Mark has also established unprecedented 
levels of trust and cooperation with the community, including women's 
groups, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, as well as 
medical marijuana organizations. He has overseen the opening of new 
service centers throughout Santa Cruz County and has placed school 
resource officers at high schools and junior high schools throughout 
the region.

[[Page E2045]]

  The Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office has a proud history of aggressively 
attacking crime in a proactive and timely manner. Mark has been at the 
forefront of working towards unbiased policing and problem-solving 
techniques. In his partnerships with local organizations, he has 
established himself as an integral part of the Santa Cruz community. I 
have personally enjoyed working with Mark, and I wish to thank him for 
his dedicated service to our community. Mr. Speaker, I would like to 
congratulate Mr. Tracy on his upcoming retirement as Sheriff, and wish 
him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.

                          ____________________