Published: November 19, 2008 11:43 pm      

Law enforcement to be honored

The mayor of Rowlett will be the keynote speaker this weekend, during an awards ceremony designed to recognize area law enforcement and named in honor of a slain Commerce code enforcement officer.

The inaugural Mike “Pee Wee” Walker Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony will be presenting almost three dozen awards, starting at 6 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church of Commerce Family Ministry Building, 1709 Highway 50. 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.

The Honorable Dr. John Harper is the keynote speaker for the program. Harper was elected Mayor of Rowlett in May 2007. He also chairs the Finance Committee of the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition and serves on its Governance Committee and Legislative Committee. He serves on the Dallas County Criminal Justice Planning and Advisory Council. He is a member of the Rockwall County Planning Consortium and is a Presiding Election Judge and Precinct Chair in Rockwall County. Harper retired from the US Air Force after serving 20 years as both an enlisted man and as an officer during the Cold War and Vietnam War era. He was a combat crewmember and Russian linguist on an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft. He has military decorations and awards for valor and achievement. Harper also retired from the Texas A&M University System after 26 years in higher education as a vice president for business affairs and tenured full professor. He continues to teach an online course in Financial Management for MBA students at Texas A&M University at Commerce.

District Attorney-elect Nobie Walker will provide the welcome Saturday and the master of ceremonies will be Jason Cunningham.

Adam Ward of Commerce received the death penalty last summer following his conviction last summer during a criminal trial on a charge of capital murder in connection with Walker’s death.

Those receiving awards Saturday 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 event is free and open to the public and those needing additional information can call 903-450-3951.