[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11559]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               DISTINGUISHED OFFICER EDWARD ALFRED THOMAS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 14, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Houston Police Headquarters will 
soon be renamed in honor of the retired Senior Police Officer Edward 
Alfred Thomas, a fitting tribute to his lifelong service to the city of 
Houston.
  Police Officer Edward Alfred Thomas, also known as ``Mr. Thomas'' 
around the station, has provided 65 years of service as an officer to 
the Houston Police Department.
  Officer Thomas served the Houston Police Department from January 12, 
1948 to July 23, 2011. His accomplishments are numerous and include The 
100 Club, Officer of the Year, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and a 
Chief of Police Commendation.
  Officer Thomas served nearly 20 years prior to the Civil Rights 
Movement and was one of the first African-American police officers to 
integrate into the Houston Police Department.
  Fellow officers declare that Officer Thomas has been an incredible 
example of perseverance, courage, and duty to the Houston Police Force.
  Several organizations support the proposal to name the Police 
Headquarters in Officer Thomas's honor such as the African American 
Police Officer League (AAPOL), Houston Police Officer's Union (HPOU), 
the Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE), and Houston Police 
Organization of Spanish Speaking Officers (OSSO).
  The City Council unanimously approved the proposal to name the 
Houston Police Headquarters in his honor on June 15, 2015.
  And that's just the way it is.

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