[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Pages 28740-28741]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO POLICE CHIEF JOHN KAZLAUSKAS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to John 
Kazlauskas, who after 41 years of dedicated service, will be retiring 
as the Owensboro, KY, chief of police this November.
  Ever since his start at the Owensboro Police Department in 1966, 
Chief Kazlauskas has been committed to the progress of the department 
and to the safety of his community. His dedication and hard work 
allowed him to quickly progress from a patrol officer to captain, and 
ultimately to the highest rank within the department, chief of police, 
in 2002.
  Throughout his tenure, Chief Kazlauskas has played a vital role in 
developing several innovative internal programs that have modernized 
the department. Chief Kazlauskas helped to create the evidence 
collection unit and the polygraph unit. Chief Kazlauskas also assisted 
the department with its accreditation process, which involved 
implementing 120 standards required by the Kentucky Association of 
Chiefs of Police.
  As chief, Mr. Kazlauskas helped improve the services offered by the 
local police department by further expanding the bomb squad and 
emergency teams, ensuring police cruisers had modern mobile data 
terminals, and overseeing the implementation of an electronic 
management system, providing a major overhaul to the records 
department.
  Chief Kazlauskas also made a significant impact throughout Owensboro, 
increasing the community involvement with the department by putting 
into place the Citizens Advisory Panel, Crime Stoppers, and creating a 
public information officer position within the department. These steps 
have built a trusting relationship between the citizens of Owensboro 
and local law enforcement, making them partners in keeping their 
neighborhoods safe.
  Chief Kazlauskas not only spent his career ensuring the safety of his 
community, but also contributing to the safety of this Nation. Drafted 
into the armed services in 1968, Chief Kazlauskas served as an Army 
helicopter pilot, chief warrant officer. After a tour of duty in the 
Republic of South Vietnam, Chief Kazlauskas received a Bronze Star with 
23 Air Medal Oak Leaf Clusters for flying over 800 hours of combat 
time.

[[Page 28741]]

  Chief Kazlauskas has provided constant support, always placing the 
well-being of his community above his own. The Commonwealth, as well as 
the city of Owensboro, has benefited greatly from his outstanding 
leadership. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join with me in 
recognizing Police Chief John Kazlauskas's unwavering dedication to his 
fellow officers, his community, and Kentucky.

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