A publication for the employees of the Travis County Sheriff’s Office

These wounded warriors are nothing but smiles after their adventurous skydive.

Volume 7, Issue 2: Winter Issue

Wounded Warrior Leap of the Heroes IIIBy Major Mark Sawa, Administration & Support Bureau

Friday, November 9, 2012, marked the Travis Coun-ty Sheriff ’s Office (TCSO) third annual Wounded Warrior’s Leap of the Heroes. As many of you may know, for the past three years, TCSO, Skydive San Marcos and Irene Mendez Elementary School have partnered together to host this very unique event. The Hays County Sheriff ’s Office also assists, in addi-tion to a host of other central Texas law enforcement entities. The event is entirely donor and sponsorship funded. Although the event is primarily about provid-ing tandem skydives to the wounded warriors, any of the attendees will tell you it is far more than that. The sense of accomplishment and service felt by the members of TCSO, the staff at Skydive San Marcos, students and staff of the Irene Mendez Elementary School, our sponsors, as well as the many police offi-cers and spectators who attend the event was indescribable. Months of coordination between TCSO, the Wounded Warrior Project, the San Antonio Military Medical Center/Center for the Intrepid, Irene Mendez Elementary School and the Texas Guard goes into the planning of this very fluid and

dynamic event. Unknowns such as the warriors be-ing able to see their physicians and therapists on the morning of the event, and of course the weather, all factor into designing a complex plan that can “keep the ball rolling” under any circumstance. This year, as in previous years, police, sponsors, volunteers and spectators all met at the San Marcos Police Department to begin the well over one mile long police escort of the wounded warriors, their families and their staff through San Marcos to Irene Mendez Elementary School. Both inside and outside of the school, the warriors were met by approximately 500 students who were clad in “Leap of the Heroes”

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EDITORKelly Page

MANAGING EDITORJeannie Maldonado

GRAPHIC DESIGNERNicole Durand

Thank you to the following employees for your contributions:

Juan M. GarzaDarrell GibsonPaul KnightJerry KovarDarren LongTracy Miller

FIVE POINTP R E S SDecember 2012 VOL.7, ISSUE 2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...C-TAC TRAINING

Angela NeidleinLauren ReynoldsMark SawaJim SylvesterRoger WadeTerry Wilt

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY 6SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED 11

None of us will be remembered for any famous cases handled or the great programs we might have implemented; we will be remembered for the way in which we treated others and for the way in which we offered them opportunities to grow into their potential and to become leaders themselves. Most individuals, at one time or other, have illusions of gran-deur and I am not an exception. Wearing authority well has always been a constant concern for me. We can always see when others do not wear authority well. Hopefully, we have sufficient internal checks to alert us to when we occasionally become con-sumed with our own perceived self-importance. Leadership is largely common sense and a decent understand-ing of human nature. A good leader learns the art and science of delegation. They know that their responsibility is not to do everything, but to make sure that everything gets done. We have all encountered talented people along our various paths that had to control every aspect of their unit and/or organization all the time. These folks generally fail because they simply can’t manage all the information needed to run a complex organization alone. They demotivate the people around them who are only expected to respond and not initiate. Good leaders must convince their subordinates that they have the right to fail from time-to-time, so long as the leader ensures that these failures do not endanger lives, organizational missions or the good name and reputation of the organization. People do learn from success, but may learn even more about responsibility and themselves from an occasional failure. If your subordinates understand that they have this freedom and they trust in you that these bumps in the road will not be fatal to their careers, you will unleash creativity, enthusiasm and innovation in an organization. It’s a poor leader who crafts an organization that comes to a halt without their immediate guidance. We should work towards organizations that function without us, almost as well as with us. This only happens if we develop competent and confident lead-ers. Never separate yourself from the people doing the real work in our organization. Keep the differences between leadership and management clear in your mind. You manage things; you lead people. The privilege of working in law enforcement, at any level, is that we are fulfilling a sacred trust, making a difference and exercising an authority that belongs not to ourselves, but to our country and community; ultimately, to the one source of all authority and jus-tice. Each day and opportunity we are given the chance to make things better. We are truly fortunate!

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Sheriff’s Spotlight

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Travis County Sheriff 2

turns home to begin work on adjusting to their life with injuries, assisting fellow returning warriors to live an abundant and enriched life. After Friday’s school presentation, one of the children stopped the wounded warrior who told the child the story of the logo. The child replied that, “today I hope we carried you a little further towards a better life.” The same soldier later told me, “that kid will never know just how far away from that battlefield I am today and how much closer I am to that better

life.” By the look on his and other wounded war-riors’ faces as they high-fived and hugged those kids after the presentation in addition to the look on the wounded warrior’s faces as they came off of the dropzone after their skydive, there was little doubt that the wounded warriors were, at the very least, a little closer to a better life and a little bit further away from that battlefield.

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t-shirts. Inside the school, students presented the wounded warriors with hand-crafted cards and let-ters. The students put on a presentation to honor all branches of the United States military and then sang to the warriors the song “Proud to be an American.” At the completion of the school presentation, the po-lice escort took the warriors to Skydive San Marcos. Once again, while en-route to the dropzone, the city of San Marcos and the tiny city of Martindale literally came to a standstill as the police escort rolled through their towns. Upon arrival at the dropzone, the war-riors were treated to a tandem skydive, a dvd of the skydive and still photographs of the event. All event attendees were served a barbecue lunch which was provided by the award winning TCSO Posse barbecue team. As shared earlier, every penny of this event was funded solely by donations from members of TCSO and community sponsors. At the end of the day, over 450 people had been fed, with just over that number in attendance. One of the many objectives of the Wounded War-rior’s Leap of the Heroes event is to raise awareness of the sacrifices that our young men and women in the military make every day for our freedom; this is especially true with the children who attend Irene Mendez Elementary School. During the week of the Wounded War-rior’s Leap of the Heroes event, a pre-Leap of the Heroes assembly is held at the school so the chil-dren can meet some of the wounded warriors up close and personal. This gathering provides the children an opportunity to ask the warriors questions about their injuries, as well as learn about the warrior’s life after being injured. During this year’s assembly, one of the wounded warriors explained the Wounded Warrior Project logo. He described it as being a symbol of soldiers helping other soldiers off of the battlefield and then helping them again after the warrior re-

Leap of the Heroes continued from cover

In May of this year, the Travis County Sheriff ’s Office’s (TCSO) Corrections Tactical Unit (C-TAC) provided training to more than 150 attendees at the 26th Annual Texas Jail Association (TJA) Conference in Austin, Texas. This year’s TJA Conference was attended by more than 400 corrections professionals from across the state. Sergeant Mark Hardin, along with Senior Corrections Officers Luke Thorman, William Montgomery and Jason Canfield provided insight on how the tactical team operates in the correctional setting. They gave a historical perspective on the unit’s 2005 humble beginnings, through its formative years and all the way to the unit’s present, nationally respected reputation. Utilizing this historical perspec-tive, the audience was informed on the research needed to start a team of their own, how to select the right officers for the team, the need for good equipment and less lethal weaponry, as well as how to establish standard operating procedures based on current case law and best practices; in addition to the essential need for continual up-to-date training. Several C-TAC deployment videos were shown to the class which contained good ex-amples of correctional setting tactics

and some that should be avoided. Needless to say, the audience’s attention was riveted to the presenta-tion and numerous questions were asked. Several guests stayed after class to speak one-on-one with the instructors. The majority of the questions were in reference to how to start a team of their own, fol-lowed by a request for C-TAC to train their team. At the end of the presentation, Hardin announced that TCSO would be hosting an inaugural Central Texas Corrections Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) Challenge in May 2013. This competition will be in conjunction with next year’s TJA Conference and will attract both national and international competitors. Congratulations to C-TAC for another job well done!

Left to right: Senior Corrections Officer Jason Canfield, Senior Corrections Officer William Montgomery, Sergeant Mark Hardin and Senior Corrections Officer Luke Thorman.

Dear Sheriff, The Brazos River Authority is extremely thankful for the dedication and professionalism of your organization in assisting in the tragic drowning recovery efforts recently at Possum Kingdom Lake. The actions of Lieutenant Joe Escribano, Detective Will Gonzalez and Senior Deputies Brett Spicer, Carl Olavesen and Jeff Hulsey went above and beyond the call of duty; the contribution of all parties involved helped make a difference. My sincerest gratitude for the unselfish determination.

With appreciation,Phil FordGeneral Manager/CEO

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C-TAC Provides Statewide TrainingBy Captain Jerry L. Kovar, MSCJ, CJM, Corrections Bureau

• Since its first appearance in 1912, OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies have reigned supreme as being the number one selling cookie in America. The basic design of the cookie has not changed for more than 50 years. Today’s version is a neat 1 3/4 inches across - that’s one, two or three bites, depending on how big your bite is!

• Light takes one-tenth of a second to travel from New York to London, eight minutes to reach the earth from the sun, and 4.3 years to reach earth from the nearest star.

• A mile on the ocean and a mile on land are not the same distance. On the ocean, a nautical mile measures 6,080 feet. A land or statute mile is 5,280 feet.

• Early systems of measurement used body parts to calculate length. A cubit ran from elbow to middle fingertip. The distance from fingertip to fingertip of outstretched arms was a fathom.

From www.coolquiz.com/trivia

UBI ReportBy Roger Wade, Public Information Officer

October 31, 2012 marked the first West Command, second floor Chili Cook-off. Participants included Sergeant Jeff Anderson and his staff of detectives, turned Chili Chefs: Marc Taub, Will Gonzalez, Paul DelaFuente, David Tosh and Darrell Gibson. Judging was done by Law Enforcement Specialist Sandi Carter, Senior Office Specialist Emily Estes and Senior Depu-ties Darold Templeton and Randy Ivy. Colorful and spicy entries included Ah-Choo Chili, Safardic Chili, Buck Run Chili and Lone Star Chili. Congratulations to Delafuente for taking first place and Gonzalez for his second place entry. We are already planning the next cook-off, so we can announce it early enough to open it up to everyone in the West Command; we want to make this a much larger event, to include all three commands. Tums and Rolaids were generously handed-out and heartburn was enjoyed by everyone.

2012 West Command Chili Cook-off

Left to right: Detective Will Gonzalez and Detective Paul Delafuente.

By Senior Detective Darrell Gibson

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NEWS

FAMILY

Congratulations to Senior Corrections Officer Juan M. Garza and his wife, Isabel,

on the birth of their daughter, Victoria Elizabeth. Victoria was born on November 7, 2012 and

weighed six pounds, nine ounces.

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1. In a large microwaveable bowl, put in Snicker bars (broken into smaller pieces) and chocolate chip morsels. Place bowl in the microwave and heat until soft (about two minutes). Watch closely, as they can burn.

2. Remove bowl from the microwave and stir the chocolate mixture to make sure the morsels are completely blended with the Snicker bars. Spoon marshmallow cream on top of the hot melted chocolate mixture (do not blend marshmallow cream into the chocolate mixture at this time).

3. In a large pot, slowly melt the butter and then add the evaporated milk, stirring slowly until hot, but not boiling. Next, add the sugar and continue to stir slowly until the mixture begins to boil. Once boiling begins, continue boiling on low to medium heat for seven minutes stirring constantly.

4. Next, pour the cooked milk, sugar and butter mixture over the melted chocolate and marshmallow cream and stir until all ingredients are well blended, then stir in peanuts.

5. Pour the combined mixture into a large rectangle cake pan that has been sprayed with Pam and let cool.

Recipe makes about 5 lbs. of Snickers chocolate marshmallow fudge.

1- 14 oz. package of bite size Snickers candy bars

8 oz. of chocolate chip morsels

1- 7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream

4 cups white sugar

1- 12 oz. can of Carnation evaporated milk (no other brand works as well as Carnation)

1/4 pound butter (margarine will work, but not one with high water content, we use Bluebonnet margarine)

1- 14 oz. jar salted peanuts

Snickers Marshmallow Fudge

Provided by Chief Deputy Jim Sylvester

Diversity is the ability to accept and respect all individuals. Sheriff Greg Hamilton supports a new organization named Equality Travis County (ETC), which confirms the Travis County

Sheriff ’s Office’s (TCSO) commitment to diversity. ETC supports and benefits our community and our gay and lesbian staff. ETC is accepting of everyone, from race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. A major part of diversity is having a positive attitude. ETC’s goals will be to reach-out to our staff by facilitating support groups, social activities and commu-nity service; we want to be supportive of each other. ETC is not only going to be for TCSO, we hope to expand to all Travis County employees. If you believe in equality, come and join us. For more information, contact Senior Corrections Officer Angela Neidlein: angela.neidlein@co.travis.tx.us.

By Senior Corrections Officer Angela NeidleinOur Commitment to Diversity

Aron “Z” is the newest member of the Travis County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit; who is partnered with Senior Deputy Gilbert Hernandez. Aron “Z” is

currently participating in patrol dog training in Utah.

Employee Profile ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT

1. How I got started in this field... When I was in college I had a strong interest in working the field of Federal Law Enforcement post-graduation. As graduation neared, I had the opportu-nity to go to work in the professional sector and so I put my law enforcement option on hold while I went down a different path. As the years progressed, I be-came more invested in my career path and it became apparent that switching over to explore law enforce-ment would require me to start over and re-progress through the ranks of an entirely new field. While I was strongly considering doing that and following my true interest, I came across an opportunity to work with the Travis County Sheriff ’s Office (TCSO). The opportunity allowed me to continue in my career, and at the same time, get involved with a great depart-ment in a true law enforcement capacity. I jumped at the opportunity and have never looked back.

2. What I do – my career highlights and education... I graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Operations Management (Statistics) and Manage-ment Information Systems. I have spent the majority of my professional career working in a technology consulting capacity. I have traveled across the country and some parts of the world getting to work with a multitude of companies across a wide array of industries. I work with these companies to help them implement technology solutions that enable them to easily accomplish their business objectives. As the TCSO Reserve Captain, I am responsible for the unit that provides support and supplemental resourcing for several areas of the agency. The unit is responsible for handling the underage drinking initiatives for the agency including minor purchasing stings, fake identification stings, underage drinking awareness presentations to local schools and shoulder tap stings. In addition, members of the unit provide

support to several other TCSO areas including Patrol, Transportation, Courthouse Security, Training Acad-emy and the Travis County Parks, etc.

3. What I like best about my job is... The fact that I get to work in so many different areas and am given the trust, responsibility and accountabil-ity to accomplish things that make a difference for the agency.

4. The best advice I’ve received for my current job is... If you have a desire to make something happen, the only thing that can stop you is your willingness to figure how to accomplish it.

5. Advice I would give a new hire at TCSO is... Pay attention to everyone you work and interact with, as you will learn something new from each of them that will make you better at your job.

6. If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found...In a patrol car chasing calls.

7. People would be surprised to know that I... Helped pay my college expenses by working as a paramedic for Val Verde County EMS.

8. Book, magazine or newspaper article I’ve read recently that really influenced my thinking... Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers by Dr. Robert Kriegel and David Brandt.

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Captain Mark Grosvenor RESERVE UNIT

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Dear Sheriff, On April 10, 2010, a five year old boy was reported missing

and found dead. It was apparent from the moment he was

found that foul play was involved. The five year old boy was

Julian Salazar Soliz and most people during his lifetime failed

him. On that day, as luck would have it, Detective Paul Salo

was on call and Julian Salazar Soliz finally caught a break.

There are not enough words or sufficient words to describe

my deep gratitude and respect for Detective Salo. From the

moment he got the call to go to the scene, he put his heart

and soul into doing the best possible job investigating what

happened to Julian. He conducted an excellent investiga-

tion which led to the arrest and indictment of Nichole Turner.

He left no stone unturned and crossed every “t.” Even after

the indictment of Nichole Turner, Detective Salo continued

to monitor the case, the testing of evidence and was avail-

able to do whatever was asked of him. He always responded

promptly to any text, email or call, even on evenings, week-

ends or when out of the state! When it came time to go to

trial, we all knew how important Detective Salo’s testimony

was going to be and he came through with flying colors. In

addition to all the above, Detective Salo is also just an easy

person to work with and a pleasure to be around.

Detective Salo had help in the investigation and throughout

the life of this case. His partner in this case was Detective

Sylvia Leal and she was just as professional, available and

competent as Detective Salo. Just as Detective Salo,

Detective Leal went above and beyond what her job title

requires and did so efficiently and without complaint.

We are fortunate here in Travis County to have two such

individuals working for the safety of our community. I hope

I have the opportunity to work with these detectives in the

future.

Sincerely,Victoria Rae WinkelerAssistant District AttorneyTravis County District Attorney’s Office

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9. My best day on the job... Is when at the end of a shift or assignment I know I made a difference in at least one person’s life.

10. How I think I make a difference... I treat everyone I meet with respect until they prove they don’t deserve it. I believe this not only reflects well on myself and my unit, but also on TCSO and the mission we aim to accomplish.

QUESTION FOR MAJOR MARK SAWA...

Why was this employee nominated to be in the Five Point Press? Mark is resourceful and enthusiastic in everything that he does; he displays the highest initiative when it comes to getting the job done. He constantly looks for ways to take the Reserves to the next level. Mark inspires all to be what he is, both as a deputy and as a man.

Employee Profile Grosvenor continued from pg. 7

Women in Partnership held a Cupcake Challenge in early December. Cupcakes were judged on orginality, cake taste, frosting taste, cake to frosting ratio and presentation. The first prize went to Senior Office Specialist Cindi Leal, second prize to Records Analyst Supervisor Lou Underwood and third prize to Senior Corrections Officer Tekeisha Gordon.

Photo of cupcake by Lead Accountant Mary Swanson.

Please reference Employee Profile Salo on pg. 9.

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Detective Paul Salo

Employee Profile LAW ENFORCEMENT

agency and the community. I feel like there is a real purpose for me being at work every day. The victims we work with are victims of serious offenses, includ-ing homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping, sexual assault and some offenses committed against children. When a homicide is committed, the detec-tive acts as that person’s voice and we try our best to make sure the person or people responsible for the death are held accountable. The detectives in this unit work very diligently to ensure all true victims of vio-lent offenses receive the justice they deserve. 4. The best advice I’ve received for my current job is... Don’t let this job interfere with your family life. Certainly, have pride in the job you do, but don’t let your life be all about your job.

5. Advice I would give a new hire at TCSO is... Come to work every day and do your best each day, be honest and find humor where you can. Remem-ber to treat the people you deal with the way you would like to be treated. Communication skills are very important and are among the things that make us different from other agencies. This agency is like a family. You will always have members of the family who you like more than others, but ultimately we are still a family. I would do anything for any member of this family and I hope they would do the same for me. When former TCSO Deputy Keith Ruiz was killed, I saw how every one of us came together and

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1. How I got started in this field... When I got to college I looked at all types of career choices. I had been interested in law enforce-ment since I was a child. I took some criminal justice courses and loved them, but I decided to pursue a ca-reer in education instead. When I was a graduate stu-dent at the University of Texas at Austin, I decided to become a volunteer for the Travis County Sheriff ’s Office (TCSO) Victim Services Unit. I continued as a volunteer with the agency after I was teaching high school in Austin. I enjoyed working with the law enforcement personnel I met as a volunteer. I liked how different the county areas were in comparison to the areas inside the city of Austin. I decided I wanted to do more in the law enforcement field, so I went through the basic peace officer course and became a reserve deputy with TCSO. I enjoyed working patrol, so I decided to leave teaching and I was hired as a full-time patrol deputy.

2. What I do - my career highlights and education... I earned a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. After several years working patrol, I promoted to detective in January 2008. I was first assigned to West Command and worked property crimes and misdemeanor persons crimes. I have been assigned to Central Command in the Major Crimes Unit since March of 2009. One recent career high-light was obtaining a guilty verdict in the death of five year old Julian Soliz. He had been badly injured by his caregiver in April 2010 and died as a result of his injuries. This was a very complicated and lengthy investigation and I was pleased to see my efforts paid off and the right person was brought to justice. The caregiver was found guilty by a jury in April 2012.

3. What I like best about my job is... I like that the work I do as a Major Crimes detec-tive is extremely important and beneficial to this

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supported one another during a very difficult time. It was at that moment that I decided that I was at the right place and that I would spend the rest of my law enforcement career here. 6. If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found... Well, there are no beaches in this area, but if I was on a vacation, I would likely be at a beach. I do not like cold weather and if I could wear shorts every day for the rest of my life, I would.

7. People would be surprised to know that... The only reason I originally went to college was because I knew it would make my parents happy. I had little desire to go to college, but once I was there I really enjoyed it and learned things that will benefit me for a lifetime. 8. Book, magazine or newspaper article I’ve read recently that really influenced my thinking... I did not read this book recently, but it was one that really influenced me. The book was called Mindhunter and was written by retired Federal Bureau of Investi-gations (FBI) Special Agent John Douglas. He worked in the behavioral sciences unit of the FBI looking at crime scenes and developing criminal profiles of perpetrators. This was a fascinating book to read and he has written several other books on the subject. I like the whole idea of criminal profiling and it is an interesting tool to use in conducting criminal investi-

gations. I am an analytical person and I enjoy trying to figure out the reasons why a person committed a particular crime.

9. My best day on the job... When I can help a truly innocent victim receive justice for the wrongs someone committed upon them.

10. How I think I make a difference... I make a difference every day by representing TCSO in a very positive way. Working Major Crime cases we see people probably at the worst moment in their lives. Making their difficult situation easier for them is what I try to do.

QUESTION FOR CAPTAIN PAUL KNIGHT...

Why was this employee nominated to be in the Five Point Press? Paul is ethical, thorough, passionate and very sharp. He is not afraid to take on extra tasks and represents the very best the Sheriff ’s Office has to offer.

Employee Profile Salo continued from pg.9

TCSO SWAT at Urban Shield In Oakland, CA

Dear Sheriff, I really don’t think I was able to thank the officer

enough! He was in the HEB Plus in Round Rock,

TX on December 1st around 11:00 p.m. I was

unable to afford the package of baby wipes to go

with the diapers and milk I was purchasing for

my 16 month old daughter. This gentleman with a

Travis County uniform on didn’t even blink an eye

after I pulled the baby wipes out of my buggie; he

paid for the wipes instantly, his actions brought

me to tears! It’s the amazing heartfelt moments

like this that one never expects that change your

whole life, but not just for the moment! I truly

appreciate his act of kindness. My son, daughter

and I will be asking God for many blessings for

this special officer and his family! Please share

my thank you, his gesture meant so much, more

than he will ever know!

Kristina Cox

Left to right: A driver from Alameda County SO, Senior Deputy Aaron Marco, Senior Deputy Mark Knight, Senior Deputy Brian Harthausen, Senior Deputy Jerry White, Senior Deputy Makara Kry, Senior Deputy Anthony Hostetler, Senior Deputy Joseph Zahn, Sergeant Bryan Whoolery and a liaison from Alameda County SO.

Dear Sheriff, On behalf of our entire team at Circuit of The Americas, thanks to you and your team for your diligent efforts toward completion of the project and the launch of the 2012 Formula One United States Grand Prix. The appreciation and reviews by fans around the world continue to pour in. Putting on an event of this size and scope requires a coordi-nated effort, and much credit is due to your work. The Circuit of The Americas project and inaugural Grand Prix gained international attention for the Central Texas region; generated and will continue to generate significant economic impact and exposure around the world; and employed over 5,000 workers during the construction period. There are select times in life where a person can truly acknowledge they have contributed to a world class, interna-tionally acclaimed project. We thank you for your contribution. This is one of those times. We look forward to growing the Circuit of The Americas in years to come. Thank you again for your contribution.Sincerely,

Steve SextonPresident

Sitting, left to right: Sergeant Stan Roper, Lieutenant Joe Escribano and Lieutenant Mike Canales. Standing, left to right: traffic personnel from Vasta Group, Aaron Nathan with Kimley-Horn Engineering and Steve Elliot with Vasta Group.

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The Steve Titsworth Scholarship was established in 2011 by the Travis County Sheriff ’s Reserve Officer Association (TCSROA) as a tribute to for-mer Reserve Deputy Steve Titsworth for his lifelong dedication to serving his community. Professionally, Titsworth chose to be a fireman and paramedic, and later retired from the Austin Fire Department. Dur-ing his life he also was active in his church, as well as served the community as a volunteer supporting the Civil Air Patrol, the Christi Center, Challenge Air (flying kids with disabilities) and the Travis County Sheriff ’s Reserve Deputy program. Titsworth died in a helicopter accident in 2011. The first annual TCSROA Steve Titsworth Scholar-ship was awarded to Edward Butts by Chief Deputy Jim Sylvester and Steve’s wife, Susan. Edward Butts is the son of Senior Corrections Officer Jeffery Butts and Ai Chung. Edward received a check in the amount of $1,000 from TCSROA in honor of his

Steve Titsworth Scholarship Awarded By Reserve Deputy Terry Wilt

volunteer service.Edward is a 2012 gradu-ate of Connally High School, who demonstrated a volun-teer spirit at his school and in the commu-nity, by provid-ing hundreds of hours of com-munity service as director of the Connally Community Cougars where he coordinated numerous charitable events. Additionally, Edward was Vice-President of the Na-tional Honor Society while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, all the while serving as a school tutor for classmates, in addition to competing in University Interscholastic League events and being an accomplished pianist. Edward will be attending the University of Texas, majoring in biology.

Employee ProfileCORRECTIONS

Sergeant Johnny Orange III1. How I got started in the field... I never thought I would be working in Corrections; post military I didn’t really have direction on what I wanted to do. I was working a private security job at HEB when Senior Corrections Officer Richard Dickson, a tenured officer, told me that the county was a good place to work. He offered to get me a ride out or tour of the jail if I was interested and left his business card. Although I never took him up on it, I later saw a job posting on the county access channel and applied. I later saw Dickson and thanked him at my first assignment in Building One.

2. What I do – my career highlights and education... Being a Field Training Officer (FTO) has certainly been a highlight of my career. I enjoyed helping new hires get to know their new job. Helping new hires develop the foundational strengths or aware of indi-vidual weaknesses as they learn the job initially has been rewarding, especially as the years past and you see the officers they mature into. Knowing I’ve had a hand in the successful career of someone else is great. I have plans to pursue my bachelor’s degree in the near future and hope to continue up to my doctoral someday. I’ve just recently attained my Master Jailer’s Certification and I am working on my dual certifica-tion.

3. What I like best about my job... Corrections is one of the most underrated jobs in America. We are the only rehabilitation and profes-sional standard some inmates will ever see. The opportunity to help people whether they are an officer, inmate, or civilian, is very special. Whether at work or away from work we are public servants and the values I have in life closely resemble the values we profess as public servants. That’s what I like best about the job.

4. The best advice I’ve received for my current job is... From former Travis County Sheriff ’s Office (TCSO) Sergeant Martin Vega; he was one of my first sergeants. Sergeant Vega spent time mentoring me in my first year. One of the most important things he shared with me was “never to stoop down to the level of problem inmates. Always stay professional.” That advice has helped me throughout my career.

5. Advice I would give a new hire at TCSO is... To take advantage of the many different assign-ments within TCSO. If we are honest with ourselves, we realize we aren’t good at everything. We are good at some things and bad at others. Everybody has gifts and talents, strengths and weaknesses, being a part of that diversity is what makes this department great. If you aren’t happy where you are, do something about it.

6. If I ever snuck out of work early, I could probably be found... At home with my family. Besides my faith in Christ, my wife and children are my biggest support system and motivation. My kids are a constant reminder that I am loved and my wife is a constant reminder that God does hear my prayers.

7. People would be surprised to know that I... Have written a book and play video games! In 2010, my brother Daron and I wrote a fiction fantasy novel called Rise of the Dragon Horde - BlackStarr: The Chronicles of Morgan Sparrowhawk. We are current-ly working on a few other projects. I also have been

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12 www.tcsheriff.org

Dear Sheriff,

Often you are brought issues regarding someone in

your organization accused of doing something wrong;

tonight, I want to tell you something about one of your

officers who did something right.

Last week, on the way home from the airport I blew a

tire on Bee Cave Rd. near Cuernavaca. I immediately

called AAA to help and was told they were a hour away.

In less than five minutes, Deputy Vincent Cain pulled up

behind my vehicle and asked what happened. I explained

my situation and without hesitation, he said, “Well, let’s

get this tire changed and get you on your way.” Imme-

diately he brought out a tire jack and lifted the car; the

angle I had was very steep to use my car’s jack. Within

a couple of minutes, I was on my way. Cain was a shiny

example of a public servant seeking to help. He had

a great personality and was a pleasure to be around.

Clearly, he has a tough job providing law enforcement

but his actions reminded me about the person behind the

badge and how grateful we should be to have people like

Cain in our community. So, there you have it, a random

act of kindness by a member of your team. This is a great

reflection on you and your organization. Deputy Cain, job

well done!

My best,Thomas Chavez

P.S. I found out as I was leaving that he had purchased

his jack out of his own pocket to have available.

Employee Profile Orange continued from pg.12

a gamer since the Atari 2600 years. I currently have a PS3 and Xbox 360.

8. Book, magazine or newspaper article I’ve read recently that really influenced my thinking... Kingdom Male written by Dr. Tony Evans and Unleash Your Purpose by Dr. Myles Munroe.

9. My best day on the job... Was when I found out I was number one on the sergeant’s list this year. Having tested five times and boarding three times for the position of sergeant, I really appreciated reaching this goal.

10. How I think I make a difference... Is by walking what I believe. This year I’ve been a part of a community-based mentoring program sponsored by Southwest Key. The Southwest Key Youth Mentoring Program, specifically, serves as a continuum of care that provides mentors for system involved youth between the ages of ten and seventeen years. The kid I mentor is 12 years old and his name is Jerome. Being a part of this program has been just as rewarding for me as it has been for Jerome and his family. I was raised in a single-parent home myself and can empathize with Jerome. A lot of these kids have little positive influences in their lives. Being a part of this program has made a difference in my life.

QUESTION FOR MAJOR DARREN LONG...

Why was this employee nominated to be in the Five Point Press? Johnny has been an employee of TCSO for 13 years. He has been a FTO and inspired many new officers to always serve with honor and professional-ism. Everyone he works with respects him. He is truly the definition of a “leader without a title.” Hard work and perseverance has paid off and he was recently promoted to sergeant. He will surely be an asset to this bureau and office in this new position.

www.tcsheriff.org 13

Meet current and former military employees (left to right)...Lieutenant Jason Jewert from Special Operations and a U.S. Air Force Reserve Major;Cadet Corrections Officer Brandi Rodriguez from Building 3 and a former Second Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy.Senior Deputy Oscar Z. Gonzalez from the K-9 Unit and a former Sergeant in the U.S. Army;Cadet Corrections Officer Chasity Rosemond from the Travis County Jail and a former E3 in the U.S. Navy;Senior Corrections Officer Alvis Prince from Human Resources Backgrounds and a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve; Senior Corrections Officer Leann Jones from the Travis County Jail and a former Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps; andSenior Corrections Officer Sam Hart from the Crisis Intervention Team and a former Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps.

on the cover?Who’s

Let’s also remember our seven co-workers (not pictured) who are on active military status: Senior Corrections Officers Jesus Aguirre-Vela, Shannon Owens, Carlos Torres; Corrections Officers Damien Hancock and James Moffat; Senior Deputy Andy Viruette and Cadet Corrections Officer David Van Vranken. Recently returned from active duty is Senior Corrections Officers Steven Alcorn, Janelle Andrews, John Herrmann and Cadet Corrections Officer Sharda Trevino.

We thank every veteran for their service! Future military stories and pictures from all branches of service are welcomed.

If you would like to submit an article or share an upcoming event for the next publication, please contact the Five Point Press staff at

512.854.9788 or jeannie.maldonado@co.travis.tx.us