[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7053-H7054]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CONGRATULATING DAVID SHOAR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Rutherford) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate David Shoar 
on a well-deserved retirement from a 40-year, lifelong career from law 
enforcement. David has been with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office 
since being elected sheriff there in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. That 
is 16 long years of faithful service to the St. Johns County Sheriff's 
Office.
  He has been an outstanding leader for the St. Johns County Sheriff's 
Office and initiated many innovations during his tenure. Sheriff Shoar 
actually began his law enforcement career with the St. Augustine Police 
Department in 1981, serving as a patrol officer before being promoted 
to sergeant in 1991.
  Because of his leadership, knowledge, skills, and abilities, in 2000, 
he was appointed as chief of police, following successful stints as 
operations commander and administrative services commander. Just 4 
years later, in 2004, he would then begin his career as sheriff of St. 
Johns County.
  Mr. Speaker, that is when I really came to know Sheriff Shoar, during 
the Florida Sheriffs Association's new sheriffs school. Although we 
both attended an earlier training class in Wakulla Springs and really 
had gotten to be close friends, it was at this new sheriff's training 
that I truly began to appreciate Sheriff Shoar's intelligence and his 
insights.
  Sheriff Shoar is also a decorated soldier in the Florida National 
Guard, later retiring as a major after 24 years of service to our 
Nation and our State. He served in the Gulf War and led North Florida's 
recovery efforts following Hurricanes Andrew and Opal. His public 
service record and leadership in northeast Florida is truly second to 
none.
  Mr. Speaker, all of Sheriff Shoar's awards and accolades are too 
numerous to list, but they do include the America's Most Wanted 
National First Responder Award, the American Legion's Top Cop Award, 
the Catholic Charities

[[Page H7054]]

of St. Johns County Good Samaritan Award, the Salvation Army's Gus 
Craig Award, and the prestigious Colonel Ed Taylor Award from the St. 
Johns County Veteran's Council for his many years of dedication to our 
Nation's veterans.

                              {time}  1045

  In addition to his many successes in law enforcement, military 
service, and community service, Sheriff Shoar also holds bachelor's and 
master's degrees from the University of North Florida and an honorary 
doctorate of law degree from Flagler College.
  During his 40 years of service, Sheriff Shoar made a positive 
difference in his community, his country, his agency, and the lives of 
many people, including my own.
  His life reminds me of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

       The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, 
     to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some 
     difference that you lived and lived well.

  Sheriff Shoar, David, my friend, you have made a difference and lived 
well.
  On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I wish 
David well in his retirement and thank him for dedicating his life to 
the safety of our community and our Nation.

                          ____________________