[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 116 (Wednesday, August 1, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S5863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING CHIEF ROD MAGGARD

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today in memory of former Hazard 
Police Chief Rod Maggard. Chief Maggard was a prominent member of the 
Perry County, KY, community, and he dedicated his life to serving his 
country, State, and city.
  A native of the southeastern Kentucky region, Chief Maggard was born 
on April 9, 1944, to Ivory and Margaret Maggard. After graduating from 
Cumberland High School, he attended Southeast Community College. 
Shortly thereafter, Chief Maggard received his draft notice for the 
Vietnam War. Initially, he was stationed in Biloxi, MI, where he worked 
as a Morse radio intercept operator, and he ultimately served a 14-
month tour in DaNang, Vietnam.
  Chief Maggard became a State trooper in 1967 when he returned home 
from the war. He was a decorated trooper and even received the Trooper 
of the Year Award for the Hazard KSP Post. In 1981, Maggard left public 
service and became director of Blue Diamond Coal's security. However, 
in 1991, he returned to public duty when he accepted the position of 
police chief for the City of Hazard.
  His career was highly distinguished as he earned many different forms 
of recognition. Chief Maggard was invited to the White House to 
represent the Kentucky Chiefs of Police; he also served on the Kentucky 
Law Enforcement Council from 1995 to 2001; in 1997 he was appointed to 
the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center Advisory 
Council; and he was president of the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of 
Police from 1999 to 2000. In 2001, Chief Maggard retired from the 
police force and became the director of the Rural Law Enforcement 
Technology Center in Hazard.
  Though a decorated police officer and public servant, the legacy 
Chief Rod Maggard hoped to leave was that of a good member of his 
community. Current Hazard police chief Minor Allen said that Chief 
Maggard was not just a mentor but more like a second father to him. It 
was his love of Hazard and Kentucky that set Maggard apart as a great 
police chief, and that is the reason why Rod will be dearly missed by 
those he knew and with whom he worked.
  Today, I ask that my colleagues in the U.S. Senate would join me in 
honoring Chief Rod Maggard. I extend my most sincere condolences to his 
wife, Beverly; their daughters, Lesley Buckner, Brandi Townsley, and 
Vali Dye; his sons-in-law; brother; grandchildren; and many more 
beloved family members and friends. The Hazard Herald, a publication 
from Hazard, KY, published an obituary that highlighted Chief Maggard's 
outstanding service to Kentucky. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 
that said article appear in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Hazard Herald, June 20, 2012]

                              Rod Maggard

       Rodney Mitchell Maggard, 68, of Hazard, passed away on 
     Wednesday, June 13, at the hospice care center in Hazard. He 
     was the former director of the Rural Law Enforcement 
     Technology Center and former chief of police with the Hazard 
     Police Department.
       He was the son of the late Ivory Mitchell Maggard and the 
     late Margaret McIntosh Maggard, and was also preceded in 
     death by his brother, James Charles Maggard.
       He is survived by his wife, Beverly Maggard; daughters 
     Lesley Buckner and husband Jay, Brandi Townsley and husband 
     Jeff, and Vali Dye and husband Kevin; brother Tommy Wayne 
     Maggard; godson Anthony Bersaglia; grandchildren Ali 
     Townsley, Walker Townsley, Mitchell Buckner, Grayson Dye, and 
     Avery Dye; along with a host of family and friends.
       Arrangements were handled by Maggard Mountain View Chapel 
     of Hazard. Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 16, 
     at the Forum, with Dr. Bill Scott and Rev. Chris Fugate 
     officiating. Interment was at Charlie Maggard Cemetery at 
     Blair, Kentucky.

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