Officer of the Month Honorees
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Officer of the Year 2004
Honoring Houston Police Officer Jose Selvera, Jr. Left to right - Mr.
Hart, Kim Ogg, Crime Stoppers,
(left to right) Houston Police Investigator Jose Selvera receiving his award for ASIS Houston Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2004 from ASIS Chapter Officers. Gifts courtesy of Crescent Properties, and ASIS Int. Houston Chapter. The Chapter selected Officer
Selvera Jr., Officer of the Month in June 2004.
Officer of the Month
Honoring Houston
Police Officer Left to right -
Supervising Captain P. L. Watkins, On June 9, 2004, officers from the South Central Division’s Warrant Execution Team had, after two weeks, obtained information regarding the location of a felony suspect in possession of a firearm. The officers arrived at a small residence in the 1700 block of Napoleon and took up positions. Sergeant Kevin Gallier and Officer Matthew Richard went to the front door and knocked several times while announcing “Police” in a loud voice. The suspect peeked from behind the curtains and then disappeared. When no one came to the door, Sergeant Gallier and Officer Richard attempted to enter the residence. Peeking through the doorway, Officer Richard could see the suspect wielding a firearm and yelled “Gun!” The officers immediately retreated to cover behind vehicles parked near the front of the residence. Officer Richard, with weapon drawn and behind cover, gave verbal commands to one of the other two men in the house. As the first man followed the commands and was being searched, Officer Richard was giving verbal commands to the second man who stood near the door. From within the residence, the suspect then fired a single shot through a window. As officers scrambled for cover, the suspect ran outside and behind the same vehicle where Officer Richard was hidden. Upon seeing the officer, the suspect fired his weapon striking the officer multiple times. Officer Richard, though severely wounded, stood and returned fire at the fleeing suspect before collapsing to the ground. Officer Richard had been struck in the upper left torso, the left buttocks and in both calves. The wounded officer was transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery and a long recovery. Because of his keen observation, quick actions and determined efforts to stop a dangerous felon, he had prevented further injuries or possible fatalities to his fellow officers.
Officer of the Month
Honoring HPD Officer Breck C. McDaniel Left to right -
Assistant Chief Vicki King, Officer
Breck C. McDaniel, Technology advancement in cellular telephones, and its increased usage by society, has created a new direction in law enforcement investigation. Officer Breck McDaniel of the Homicide Division has voluntarily pioneered cellular telephone investigation technology for the Houston Police Department. With his own funds, he purchased computer software which is compatible with that used by cellular telephone companies. The software provides a capability of tracking the movements of suspects as it relates to their individual cell phones and location from which they are calling. Having established the necessary federal contacts to legally use the technology, he also drafted court orders that comply not only with the requirements of each of the many communications companies, but more importantly, meet the legal parameters as required by the District Attorney’s Office. It has been solely through his efforts in the use of this technology that several major kidnapping offenses have been brought to successful conclusions. In several murder cases, the suspects’ locations were determined which led to arrests being made before any other citizens could be injured or killed. Officer McDaniel’s dedication to law enforcement, his initiative and administrative excellence has placed the Houston Police Department in a position few other agencies are able to offer its citizens.
Officers of the Month
Honoring Houston
Police Officers Left to right -
Officer Jerry L. McClain,
Mr. Hart, On November 1, 2002, a pastor from a local church in southeast Houston reported a severe gang problem at three different apartment complexes near his church. The complaint was forwarded to Officer Jerry McClain and Officer Michael Baccus. Following a preliminary investigation, they confirmed the presence and identity of the Yellowstone Players. Crime analysis information also confirmed violent nature of the gang with having linked three fatal shootings within a thirty day period. Other gang activity included selling narcotics, committing robberies and intimidating area residents. After conducting a two month zero tolerance initiative, Officers McClain and Baccus submitted an Eight Step Gang Assessment Report requesting H.I.D.T.A. funds to address the situation. Funding was approved and Operation Broken Glass was implemented. Both officers enlisted the help of apartment owners and managers along with public and private school administrators. Trespass affidavits were signed and many gang members were subsequently jailed on a variety of charges. Arrests were also made for seized narcotics and unlawful possession of weapons. During the ten month operation, the officers documented 32 gang members, and assisted in 41 felony arrests, 33 misdemeanor arrests and 90 city ordinance arrests. As a result of the initiative, each arrested member pled guilty, two apartment managers were fired, and 25 problem families were evicted from two apartment complexes. Because of the thorough investigation Officers McClain and Baccus conducted, they have provided a safer, more secure environment for an entire neigh neighborhood.
Officer of the Month
Honoring Sgt Gary
Rodgers Left to right -
Supervisor Captain Coon, Honoree Sgt Gary Rodgers On March 25, 2004, District IV Deputy and Field Training Officer, Gary Rodgers, initiated a traffic stop after noticing the vehicle had an expired license plate. While interviewing the male driver, Deputy Rodgers noticed inconsistencies in his responses to questions and sensed that something was not right. After running the suspicious driver on his car's computer, Deputy Rodgers learned that the man matched the description of a fugitive murder suspect wanted in the State of California. At that time, Deputy Rodgers was unable to make a positive identification from information he received from his car's computer. Not being comfortable with the situation and sensing that something was wrong, Deputy Rodgers decided to detain the male subject and transport him to the Clay Road Substation where he could be fingerprinted and his true identity verified. After fingerprinting the male, it was confirmed that he was indeed the fugitive who was wanted for murder in California. A short time later, Detective Brocchini, with the Modesto Police Department, contacted Deputy Rodgers and informed him that for three years their agency had been searching for the man he had just arrested. Detective Brocchini also advised Deputy Rodgers that the man was wanted for a total of seven (7) drive-by-shootings wherein the last shooting involved over 50 rounds being fired from an AK-47 Assault Rifle and resulting in the death of one person. Thanks to Deputy Rodgers' perseverance and attention to detail, a very dangerous murder suspect was successfully apprehended. Reprinted from the Sherriffs Quarterly Review Newsletter - Second Quarter, 2004
Officer of the Month
Honoring Houston
Police Officers Left to right - Supervisor HPD Lieutenant David M. Pena,
HPD Officer On January 12, 2004, Officer Melody Pritchard and Officer Chad Nichols responded to a suicide‑in‑progress call in the 3900 block of Woodchase Boulevard. When they arrived, a man approached them and explained that his ex‑wife had locked herself in an apartment and threatened to harm herself and their child. Officer Nichols attempted to find a safe entry point while Officer Pritchard obtained personal information about the woman. When Officer Pritchard learned that the woman's first name was the same as hers, she decided to use the information to establish credibility and trust. As Officer Pritchard spoke through the kitchen window, the woman could be seen holding a large knife in one hand, and a small baby in the other. Officer Pritchard now found herself in the role of a hostage negotiator and worked to diffuse the deadly situation. Finally, the woman agreed to pass her baby through the window to Officer Pritchard. Once the baby was safe, the woman became irrational and began slicing flesh from her wrist. Realizing that time was crucial, Officer Nichols broke through the front door of the apartment and wrestled the knife from the woman's grasp. Emergency medical personnel arrived and transported the woman to the hospital where she was treated for her injuries, and psychologically evaluated.
Officer of the Month
Honoring Houston Police Officer Jose Selvera, Jr. Left to right - Officer
Jose Selvera, Jr., and Mr.
Hart In 1998, a young boy was slain during a drive-by shooting. The vehicle used in the shooting had been stolen and the suspects had since fled. The investigation became a high priority among detectives and patrol officers. Once the first suspect was identified, apprehended and plead guilty, he provided the names of the two remaining juvenile accomplices who had now fled the country. Officer Jose Selvera of the Homicide Division refused to let the investigation end with one conviction. His tenacity for justice led him to gain enough information that he was contacted when the second suspect re-entered the country. In 2002, after the second suspect served time on a federal offense, Officer Selvera was able to have him transferred to Harris County and certified as an adult in the now, four-year-old murder. Publicity surrounding the second conviction and sentencing generated a new lead. The third suspect had re-entered the country and was about to flee again. Determined to pursue the new information, Officer Selvera found himself face-to-face with the last of the three suspects. The third suspect was positively identified and was certified as an adult. Although it was twice suggested that the case be dismissed for lack of evidence, Officer Selvera located additional evidence to continue proceedings. On November 20, 2003, the last suspect was convicted of Capital Murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Officer of the Month
Honoring HPD Officer Emma Y. Rodriguez Left to right - HPD
Captain Murvel L. Yates, CPP, On June 26, 2003, Officer Emma Rodriguez was assigned a juvenile sexual assault case involving a 12-year-old mentally challenged victim picked up in Pasadena. The child was unable to provide a description of the location except as having water nearby. Officer Rodriguez spent numerous hours working to gain the child’s trust and drove her along the ship channel area. While driving, the officer learned more information about the crime. The suspect smoked cigarettes in a red box with a letter “M,” and he wore a heart-shaped tattoo. At that point, the child became animated, told the officer to turn, and pointed to a building where the assault took place. Officer Rodriguez did extensive research regarding the business and then secured a subpoena of their records. While at the business, the officer saw a man chain-smoking Marlboro cigarettes who matched the description. Subsequently, the child positively identified the man as having assaulted her. When an arrest warrant was issued, the suspect fled. Officer Rodriguez was relentless in her pursuit and employed Crime Stoppers and patrol officers to help with apprehension. The following day, the suspect was located and arrested. Officer Rodriguez ordered aerial photographs of the area and traced the victim’s journey to the location of the assault. She continued her research and amassed information that assisted her during the interview process with the suspect, whereupon he confessed.
Officers of the Month
Honoring HPD Sergeant James L. Ramsey
and Left to right - HPD Captain Holland, Honoree HPD Sergeant James L. Ramsey and Mr. Hart. On December 14, 1969, as a young woman walked to work, she was abducted, sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. The suspect then took her money, and stole her vehicle that was later recovered in downtown Houston. Homicide investigators conducted an intensive investigation for witness information. Latent prints were lifted at the scene and compared with a variety of possible suspects with no successful match. Despite exemplary efforts to identify and apprehend the suspect, the crime remained unsolved for 33 years. Sergeant James Ramsey, a veteran homicide investigator, took it upon himself to reopen the case after speaking with the victim’s brother, a Texas Ranger. Locating witnesses and physical evidence after 33 years, however, was exceedingly difficult with most evidence being no longer available. Undaunted by this complication, Sergeant Ramsey focused on several latent fingerprints that had been lifted from the victim’s stolen vehicle. A search for the archived prints from the Latent Print Lab became a priority task for lab personnel, including Deputy Administrator Debbie Benningfield. Once located, Deputy Administrator Benningfield then began the tedious process of trying to identify them. She took the prints to Austin, Texas, to utilize the resources of the Texas Department of public Safety. In doing so, she was able to search the prints through the FBI AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System), a nationwide fingerprint database. The AFIS inquiry yielded a hit, and through her investigative work, she ultimately identified an ex-convict who had been released from the Texas Department of Corrections only a week before the woman’s murder. Armed with new information, Sergeant Ramsey worked with numerous law enforcement agencies to locate the suspect who eventually confessed to the crime more than three decades later.
Officer of the Month
Honoring HPD Officer Harold D. Bohn Left to right - Mr. Hart, HPD Captain Gott and On December 2, 2003, 13-year veteran, Officer Harold Bohn responded to an animal attack call where a 79-year-old woman was being mauled by a large rottweiler. Upon arrival, he was met with bystanders who feared helping the woman. Officer Bohn found the victim bleeding profusely with missing portions of tissue and muscle from her leg. The woman began to sit up but the dog instantly clamped down on the back of her head and held her in a vise-like grip. Rather than shoot the dog as the bullet could strike the victim, the officer found a shovel and swung it at the animal. The dog released its victim and the officer wrestled it to the ground. He struggled with the dog as paramedics rushed to carry the woman to safety, and until Animal Control arrived. Since the dog was so vicious, Animal Control tossed him the loop rope to place around the dog’s neck. Officer Bohn’s courageous effort, while placing his own safety at great risk, ultimately saved the woman’s life.
Officer of the Month
Honoring HPD Sergeant Roland De Los Santos Left to right - Captain
Joseph Lampignano, On May 20, 2003, Sergeant Roland De Los Santos saw a green Ford Expedition occupied by three individuals matching the description in an Aggravated Robbery case from the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. After verifying that it was stolen, Sergeant De Los Santos advised the dispatcher and coordinated backup units to initiate a felony stop. The suspect refused to pull over and led officers on a short high-speed pursuit along Interstate 45. He exited the freeway and later turned into an apartment complex. Due to a controlled access gate, the suspect was forced to stop. Sergeant De Los Santos positioned his patrol vehicle next to the driver’s side of the stolen vehicle while other officers pulled in to block the suspect’s escape. The driver, armed with a .380 semi-automatic weapon, pointed it toward Sergeant De Los Santos and fired striking his patrol vehicle’s passenger side mirror. Upon exiting the vehicle, the suspect dropped his weapon to the ground and surrendered. The other officers apprehended the remaining suspects without further incident. The driver was later identified as the armed hijacker of the vehicle, and linked to two other robberies within the jurisdiction of the City of Houston. He was additionally charged with Attempted Capital Murder of a Peace Officer. Sergeant Roland De Los Santos's Biography Sergeant Roland De Los Santos graduated from Northbrook High School in 1987, then later from the University of Houston in 1993 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He joined the Houston Police Department in 1994 and was assigned to the Westside and Northwest Divisions. On February 28, 2002, he promoted to the rank of Sergeant and has served at the Southwest Division and now, the North Division. |
