[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E21]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING HOMER CADDELL ``CAL'' HENDERSON, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Homer Caddell 
``Cal'' Henderson Jr., who is retiring today after 12 years of loyal 
service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida.
  Cal dedicated his life to keeping our community safe. At 21, Cal 
began his law enforcement career in the Tampa Police Department, and he 
went on to serve the U.S. Border Patrol and the CIA as a national 
police trainer in Vietnam. In 1969, when Cal returned home to Tampa, he 
joined the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
  During his 35 years in the Sheriff's Office, Cal Henderson 
experienced a period of enormous growth and development in Hillsborough 
County. The year Cal joined the force, the Sheriff's Office employed 
157 deputies serving a mostly rural area. In fact, at that time, Cal 
was the only deputy working in his region of eastern Hillsborough. 
Today, as Sheriff Henderson retires, his office employs 1,200 deputies, 
950 sworn detention officers and 1,000 civilians, and the territory 
that he once patrolled alone is now served by as many as 12 deputies.
  Cal Henderson worked his way through the ranks of the Sheriff's 
office, and he was able to do it while adapting to colossal changes in 
the needs of our community. Following the September 11 tragedies, 
Sheriff Henderson recognized the need to coordinate the efforts of our 
region's first responders, and he spearheaded the Tampa Bay Regional 
Domestic Security Task Force. A model for communities nationwide, the 
task force brings together fire fighters, EMS, hospital, port, police 
and sheriff and other officers to streamline efforts to keep our region 
safe.
  Fortunately for the people of Hillsborough County, Sheriff Henderson 
is leaving us well equipped for the transition to new leadership under 
incoming Sheriff David Gee. And while Cal may be hanging up his 
Sheriff's badge, we can rest assured that he will continue his service 
to our community. Cal has already indicated that while taking advantage 
of some well deserved rest in retirement, he is also planning to assist 
the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention on issues pertaining to missing and exploited 
children.
  Hillsborough County has truly been blessed to have Sheriff Cal 
Henderson as a faithful public servant. Cal has served with honor and 
integrity and has always shown the highest respect for those he serves. 
On behalf of our community, I would like to extend my deepest 
appreciation for his commitment and my best wishes for his retirement.

                          ____________________