[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17941]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING BRANDON PARKS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 15, 2009

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of a recent 
graduate of the Los Angeles police academy who excelled in every aspect 
of his training and will, no doubt, serve and protect the people of Los 
Angeles with respect, honor and commitment.
  Brandon Parks, 28, the son of my senior advisor Mariana Parks, and an 
Army veteran who served in Iraq, is now patrolling the streets of the 
Foothill District in northern Los Angeles. I'm confident a young, 
responsible and highly motivated young man such as Brandon is enjoying 
his first days and weeks on the force just as I did years ago for the 
King County Sheriff's Department.
  But today, Madam Speaker, I want to focus my remarks on the 
exceptional way Brandon conducted himself during his 24-week training 
at the Los Angeles Police Academy. Arriving to the academy every 
morning at 6:00 a.m., a typical day for Brandon and his fellow recruits 
consisted of running, writing, shooting, thinking, perceiving and 
everything else in between. No matter the amount of physical, mental 
and emotional fatigue Brandon may have felt, he graduated on June 19 
with outstanding final marks: a 99.5 average in his report writing and 
academic testing, a 91 average in grueling physical training and a 97.6 
average conducting his tactical scenarios. Because of his excellent 
scores, Brandon was honored at the graduation ceremony with the 
Academic Achievement award, Top Physical Conditioning award and the 
William H. Parker award for overall excellence. The `overall 
excellence' award named after Mr. Parker--a former police chief for the 
LAPD who served admirably in WWII--is especially befitting an Army 
veteran such as Brandon.
  Again, Madam Speaker, Brandon is the son of my senior advisor, 
Mariana Parks, and I know she is one of the proudest mothers in the 
world. I also know Brandon's grandparents on Whidbey Island, 
Washington, Joe and Jaynie Putnam, are extremely proud of Brandon and 
his accomplishments. Of course, this House owes Brandon a debt of 
gratitude for his service in Iraq and I am eager to follow his career 
serving as a dedicated law enforcement officer.

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