[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9996-9997]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING SHERIFF JOHN H. RUTHERFORD FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF SERVICE 
                           IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2015

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of 
Jacksonville Sheriff John H. Rutherford, who is retiring after 12 years 
as our city's sheriff and after serving more than 40 years in law 
enforcement. He has been a voice of vision and action in our 
Jacksonville community. Although law enforcement always has its 
challenges, John's leadership style embraced the opportunities to make 
a difference and better the quality of life for the citizens of 
Jacksonville.
  Sheriff Rutherford always wore his badge with pride. He received 
expert training as a law enforcement professional, and he made sure 
each one of his police officers received the best training available. 
That being said, I can tell you that John would be the first to 
acknowledge that though training is vital to the officers, it's not 
everything. It is his belief that a police officer also must learn to 
respect others who have different perspectives, beliefs, and histories, 
and to learn from them. John, a devout Christian, never shied away from 
that foundation in his beliefs and principles.
  The list of programs that benefitted Jacksonville under Sheriff 
Rutherford's tenure is both long and varied. He believed strongly that 
we must put resources into programs for our youth as investments in our 
future and that crime prevention is the most cost-effective method of 
law enforcement. John utilized $3.7 million in seized drug money for 
prevention and intervention projects that made a significant difference 
in many lives. He engaged in

[[Page 9997]]

the community and encouraged his officers to set good examples, urging 
them to volunteer as mentors, coaches, charity board members, and 
participants.
  John Rutherford is a man of vision who encouraged others to take 
courageous steps and make difficult decisions. He instituted crime 
fighting initiatives, such as Operation Safe Streets, that helped 
achieve the lowest crime numbers since records were first kept 35 years 
ago. In an effort to increase citizen engagement, John also established 
Advisory Councils, an initiative greatly appreciated in our 
Jacksonville community. Furthermore, Sheriff Rutherford regularly 
participated in Crime Prevention Walks throughout the city to meet with 
and listen to citizens one-on-one in their own neighborhoods. He hosted 
live Internet Call-In shows, established the Six Pillars of Character 
Award, and regularly recognized employees for their good works. In all 
of these ways, John led the 3,000 men and women at our Jacksonville 
Sheriff's Office to become a vital and interwoven part in the fabric of 
our community.
  Sheriff John Rutherford led our Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for 12 
years. He was an effective leader and his quiet, firm voice was always 
listened to during times of alarm. I am proud to call him friend and 
thank him for his service.

                          ____________________