[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15751-15752]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO DETECTIVE SERGEANT DAVID G. WURTZ, UPON RECEIVING THE 2007 
            NATIONAL MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN'S AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. THADDEUS G. McCOTTER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 13, 2007

  Mr. McCOTTER. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge 
Detective Sergeant David G. Wurtz of the Oakland County Sheriff's 
Office upon receiving the 2007 National Missing and Exploited 
Children's Award for outstanding work in the case concerning Genevieve 
Nielson.
  For nearly three decades, Detective Sergeant Wurtz has strived to 
better our community. Since joining the Oakland County Sheriff's 
Department in May of 1979, he has served in numerous Units, including 
the Road Patrol Unit, the Marine Division, the Protective Services 
Division, the Corrective Services Division, and in the Technical 
Services Division. In September of 1989, due to his superior 
investigative ability, Detective Sergeant Wurtz was promoted to 
Sergeant, and he currently serves in the Special Investigations Unit 
and as a hostage and crisis negotiator.
  During his career, Detective Sergeant Wurtz has earned the 
recognition and admiration of his co-workers and community for his 
thorough investigations and criminal prosecutions. Recently, he teamed 
up with the United States Marshalls Service to investigate the 
kidnapping of Genevieve Nielson, the 21-month old infant who went 
missing during Mother's Day weekend in 1976. Detective Sergeant Wurtz 
has headed the case since 1990 and has a

[[Page 15752]]

large box of files dedicated to Genevieve. Finally, after years of 
searching, his commitment to justice in the joint investigation led to 
Genevieve's discovery in Arizona.
  Madam Speaker, Detective Sergeant Wurtz's uncanny ability to collect 
critical crime scene evidence, sort through complex information, and 
coordinate the efforts of dozens of investigators has resulted in the 
apprehension of Oakland County's most vicious criminals. For his 
unfaltering dedication to the people of Oakland County and for his 
leadership in the case of Genevieve Nielson, Detective Sergeant David 
G. Wurtz has been recognized with the 2007 National Center for Missing 
and Exploited Children's Award. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me 
in honoring Detective Wurtz for his relentless pursuit of dangerous 
criminals and legendary service to our community and our country.

                          ____________________