Published: October 08, 2008 11:57 pm      

Awards ceremony honors slain code enforcement officer

COMMERCE — Almost three dozen individuals and agencies are scheduled to be recognized next month during an awards ceremony named in honor of a slain Commerce code enforcement officer.

The inaugural Mike “Pee Wee” Walker Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony will be presenting 33 awards during the ceremony, scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22 at the First United Methodist Church of Commerce Family Ministry Building, 1709 Highway 50 in Commerce. The event is being sponsored by the Hunt County African American Leadership Conference and is named in honor of Walker, a father of two who was shot and killed on June 13, 2005.

Adam Ward of Commerce received the death penalty following his conviction last summer during a criminal trial on a charge of capital murder last summer.

Dr. M. LaVelle Hendricks, President of the Hunt County African American Leadership Conference, sent notices this week to the award winners.

“There is no greater calling than putting one’s life on the line for so many,” Hendricks wrote in the announcement. “Mike was a great father and everyone who met him was never a stranger. We are pleased to present awards in his name to many recipients from our area.”

Those receiving awards include Hunt County Justice of the Peace James E. “Sarge” Erwin as Judge of the Year; Jerry Spencer Davis as Attorney of the Year; Hunt County Sheriff Don Anderson as Law Enforcement Peace Officer of the Year; 196th District Court Bailiff Kenneth Humble as Hunt County Court Official of the Year; Sandra Bell as Female Peace Officer of the Year; Ralph Green as Commissioner of the Year; Janie Hamerargren as Law Enforcement Employee of the Year; Deborah Mason as Legal Clerk of the Year; Texas A&M-Commerce as Law Enforcement Agency of the Year; Brent Vice as Fireman of the Year; Archie Crittendon as Male Peace Officer of the Year; Tim Simmons as Law Enforcement Supervisor of the Year: Justice of the Peace Jennifer Reeves- as Justice of the Peace Officer of the Year; Wayne “Doc” Pierce as Constable of the Year; Hunt County Sheriff’s Lt. Billy Relford is being given the Distinguished Service Award For Law Enforcement; Wendell Allen is being honored as Code Enforcement Official of the Year; Lee Dixon will receive the Excellence in Law Enforcement Award; Robert Pemberton is being honored as City of Greenville Law Enforcement Officer of the Year; Marcus Cantera as City of Commerce Law Enforcement Officer of the Year; Warren Dennis will be presented the Hunt County Community Service Award; Glen McCull will receive the award for Outstanding Achievement in Law Enforcement; Chris Rosemond will be presented the Award for Quality in Law Enforcement; Patricia Thibodeaux and Shantel Wilson will receive the Excellence in Law Enforcement Communication Award; Twyla Campbell Nelson and Charla Campbell Turner will be the recipients of the the Mike “Pee Wee” Walker award for Outstanding Support for Law Enforcement; Bryan Vaughn will receive the Hunt County Distinguished Service Award; Richard Hill will receive the Hunt County Award for Valor; Bargain Bail Bonds has been named as the Bail Bonding Company of the Year; the Emily Simpson Memorial Award will be presented to Beatriz Delgado; Kim Lewis will receive the Hunt County Award for Merit in Law Enforcement; Demetra Robinson is the Municipal Official of the Year: and Deputy Tommy Grandfield will be named as the Hunt County Peace Officer of the Year.

The Honorable John Harper, mayor of Rowlett, is the keynote speaker for the program.



The event is free and open to the public and those needing additional information can contact Hendricks at 903-450-3951.