[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING SHERIFF THOMAS (TOM) ALLMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 3, 2020

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleague Representative 
Mike Thompson to recognize Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman on the 
occasion of his retirement from a long and distinguished career in law 
enforcement. Thirty-four years of Sheriff Allman's career were spent 
with Mendocino County Sheriff's Department, where he provided the 
County with steadfast and effective leadership through major disasters 
and emergencies, while simultaneously working tirelessly to make 
Mendocino County a leader in mental health reform.
  Born in Sylva, North Carolina, Sheriff Allman grew up between 
Northern California and North Carolina. After graduating from high 
school in 1979, he pursued a career in firefighting with the California 
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in San Bernardino County. He 
returned to Northern California and attended California State 
University, Chico and the Fire Academy at Butte College. He soon 
transitioned into a law enforcement career with the Fairfield Police 
Department in 1982, and joined the Mendocino County Sheriff's 
Department three years later in 1985.
  After his promotion to Lieutenant in 1988, Sheriff Allman made the 
difficult decision to temporarily volunteer with the United States 
Department of State as a civilian peacekeeper following the Kosovo War. 
He served for 12 months as a police presence in 1999, an experience 
which he has credited with influencing much of his later career, and 
which began a long history of volunteerism that continued throughout 
his professional life. He volunteered to support law enforcement 
efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and traveled with his 
local Rotary Club to Southern India in the wake of the 2004 tsunami to 
build an orphanage.
  Sheriff Allman was first elected to the office of Mendocino County 
Sheriff in 2006, and he served continuously until his retirement in 
December 2019. Sheriff Allman's 13 years of service in that role have 
provided continuity and stability for the County through major 
disasters including the catastrophic wildfires in 2017 and 2018 as well 
as numerous other challenges faced by the County of Mendocino. He has 
been a tireless advocate for making broad structural improvements to 
mental health resources, while prioritizing the difficult work of 
investigating serious crimes.
  Sheriff Allman's legacy and achievements will continue to be felt in 
Mendocino County through numerous anti-recidivism programs he 
spearheaded at the County Jail, including a baking program, resume 
writing course, and a robust General Education Diploma (GED) program. 
One of his most significant achievements was the passage of a funding 
measure for the Mental Health Treatment Act, which has raised roughly 
$10 million to date. Sheriff Allman will continue to serve on the 
Measure B Committee as the Sheriff's Designee.
  Madam Speaker, Sheriff Tom Allman has shown throughout his long and 
distinguished career his dedication to public service and the people of 
Mendocino County. He has drawn from his personal and professional 
experiences to apply empathy and problem solving for the betterment of 
the many individuals and groups he has served over the course of his 
professional and volunteer life. His commitment to the issues that 
matter most to his community, and his ability to deliver results, are 
testaments to his skill and his dedication to law enforcement and 
public service. I hope you will join us and the community, his family, 
and many friends in celebrating Sheriff Allman's many accomplishments 
and in wishing him success and good fortune in his future endeavors.

                          ____________________