[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 139 (Friday, November 14, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1576-E1577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF NEIL TELFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 14, 2014

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate San Bruno Police 
Chief Neil Telford upon the occasion of his retirement from the San 
Bruno Police Department after 32 years of distinguished service. Chief 
Telford's story is an example of a boy who grew up to serve his 
neighbors.
  Neil Telford was raised in the adjacent city of South San Francisco. 
He graduated from South San Francisco High School and attended two of 
our outstanding community colleges: the College of San Mateo and 
Skyline College in San Bruno. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal 
Justice from San Francisco State University, an outstanding institution 
also located in California's 14th Congressional District.
  In 1982, San Bruno hit the jackpot when it offered Neil Telford the 
chance to be a volunteer Reserve Police Officer. During that time, he 
attended the basic police academy in San Jose and was then sworn in as 
a full-time San Bruno police officer in 1984. He immediately 
demonstrated his leadership capability by serving as a Field Training 
Officer and as a Detective. San Bruno promoted Detective Telford to 
Sergeant in 1991. From there, his rise was swift as he was promoted to 
Lieutenant in 1997 and to Captain in 2002. He became San Bruno's sixth 
Police Chief in 2006.
  San Bruno is a wonderful city of 42,000 nestled on the bay and across 
the hillsides of the San Francisco Peninsula. It is characterized by 
families. There are families in San Bruno Park, families in its 
churches, families supporting its outstanding schools, and civic 
engagement that rivals that of any community in America. It is home to 
the Peninsula's middle class, an outstanding community college, and 
amazing youth baseball. The city is blessed with beautiful trees, 
quaint streets and a new train station that will soon be a centerpiece 
of downtown revitalization. It is also a

[[Page E1577]]

community that supports its police and fire departments, and a town in 
which children respect public safety professionals.
  In both the State Legislature and Congress, it has been my privilege 
to represent this remarkable city, and to interact with Chief Telford 
on many occasions. However, none of my interactions with the Chief were 
marked by tragedy until one late afternoon on September 9, 2010. Eight 
precious lives were lost that fateful afternoon when a natural gas 
transmission pipeline exploded in a residential neighborhood of San 
Bruno. Throughout the night and on through the days to follow, bravery 
and compassion in the line of duty were an every-moment event on the 
front lines. The explosion shaped this nation's laws and practices on 
pipeline safety.
  Chief Telford led his police force through the fire and the difficult 
days thereafter with outstanding compassion, strength and calm. In 
those difficult weeks, events that might otherwise have marked decades 
of experience cascaded upon Chief Telford and other public safety 
professionals, the leadership and the residents of San Bruno. Through 
it all, Chief Telford stayed focused on recovery, protection of public 
safety, and the preservation of the dignity of every resident of San 
Bruno. While he has many other notable accomplishments in his career, 
Neil Telford will always be remembered as the Chief who cared when 
caring counted for everything.
  Mr. Speaker, Chief Telford is a graduate of the State of California's 
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), the Command 
College program, and he also holds Advanced, Supervisory, Management 
and Executive certificates from POST. California law enforcement is 
marked by a high degree of professionalism. In truth, Neil Telford 
could have written the definitive textbook on police leadership.
  Please join with me in congratulating Chief Neil Telford upon the 
occasion of his retirement after 32 years of public service to the 
residents of San Bruno. He and his wife, Cindy, have lived for 22 years 
in the city that he protects. They have a son, Anthony, who also 
resides in this special place on the Peninsula. We wish the Telford 
family much happiness in the coming years.

                          ____________________