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Officers: L.D. Whitton, President • Miles Engelke, Vice-President • Larry Engelke, Secretary-TreasurerPresident Emeritus: Lee Johnson • Executive Director: Jack R. Crier • Publisher: JoAnne Smith

TEXAS STATE TROOPERNUMBER 327 O FFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TEXAS STATE TROOPERS ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2018

Happy New Year! Meet TSTA’s new additions to its staff:

Mario A. Martinez has nearly 40 years of experience in Texas governmental and political arenas, getting his start as a legislative aide to former State Representative Tom Uher in 1975. After nearly ten years with Uher, the last four as Chief of Staff, Martinez went on to hone his legislative skills as Governmental Affairs Director for the Texas State Troopers Association, where he served for more than a decade. In 1996, he established Martinez & Associates with his wife Louann and continued to forge the strong relationships with key policymakers.

Martinez has represented major industries in some of the most challenging and contentious issues debated before the Texas Legislature. Current clients include NRG – a leader in solar and thermal power generation; Brownsville Economic Development Council (BEDC), and Texas Independent Automobile Dealer Association (TIADA), along with the Justice of the Peace and Constables Association (JPCA).

Martinez is respected by lawmakers and members of

Jack R. Crier is just the second Executive Director in the long history of the Texas State Troopers Association. He succeeded Claude Hart who retired after serving as Executive Director since the founding of TSTA in 1984.

Mr. Crier had served as TSTA’s attorney in the 1990’s and again since January of 2016 until accepting the position of Executive Director.

Mr. Crier was born in Roswell, New Mexico and raised in Austin, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from University of Texas at Austin in 1978 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1981. He has been licensed by the State Bar of Texas since 1981; by the U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas since 1988; and by the U.S. District Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit since 1991.

Mr. Crier has practiced law for his entire career in Austin, the Texas Hill Country, and the surrounding area. He

Mario A. MartinezGovernmental Affairs Consultant

Jack R. Crier Executive Director

Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3

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COURT’S IN SESSIONby Judge Larry Gist

Crime VictimsFrom the very beginning, our criminal law has clearly

been a contest between a defendant and the State of Texas. It is the State that made a claim a defendant had violated the law and should be punished for reasons the State thought proper.

But in modern times, it’s become clearer that in so many offenses, an actual victim was involved. And that victim had very little, if any, legal basis to express their views of the impact of the offense and the punishment that they thought was appropriate.

This was so apparent that our legislature changed our procedure and the voters of Texas changed our Constitution to ensure that the victim had certain rights in every criminal prosecution. It’s worthwhile to review some of those relatively new provisions.

A victim now has the right to receive adequate protection from law enforcement for harm and threats arising from their cooperation. And a magistrate is now required to take into consideration the safety of the victim and their family when setting bond.

If the victim elects and gives proper notice, they can count on being kept informed of the procedures involved as the case works its way through the system. They are also entitled to be kept aware of any appellate decisions that may affect the defendant.

And if they ask, the victim is entitled to be kept informed of the general procedures of plea negotiations, arraignments, restitution, appeals and the parole process. They should be advised of any rights they might have under the State’s crime victim’s compensation statute.

If a pre-sentence report is ordered, the victim is entitled to submit information regarding the impact of the offense on them or their family. And if a trial or hearing takes place, they are entitled to have a waiting area separate and secure from other witnesses and relatives of the

defendant. Just think of how uncomfortable a victim would be having to sit next to the defendant’s relative waiting to testify. It’s just not fair or right, and the law now specifically addresses that issue.

Quite often, a victim’s employer may impose some type of penalty if they are away from work to be in court. When that happens, the victim has the right to have the prosecutor notify the employer of the situation so that no employment penalty is involved.

The victim impact statement is a valuable document that is used at trial and by the parole board. So, the victim has the right to participate in its preparation, distribution and use. The victim has an absolute right to have their views heard and considered before a plea bargain is accepted or a sentence is imposed. And of course, if a defendant is eligible for parole release, the victim is entitled to know the process, when parole is possible, and the means to contest the release decision if they elect to do so.

Every victim has the right to be in court and hear the testimony in the case except in certain limited circumstances.

But just to make sure everyone understands that it is the State that is harmed primarily by criminal conduct, the victim does not have the right to participate as a party in a criminal proceeding or to contest the disposition of any charge.

If the defendant escapes at any time, the victim has the right to be notified of that event as well as a defendant’s transfer to a different prison unit.

These provisions make basic common sense. But up until recently, they didn’t exist as expressed rights due anyone injured by an offender. This consideration doesn’t exist in most states and few foreign governments. So, while they are valuable and necessary, the enforcement is not perfect. And we all need to do what we can to make sure that a victim who has suffered because of criminal acts doesn’t have the system hurt them as bad or worse than the offender.

So, until next time, you’all be careful out there, you hear.

Judge Gist is completing his 43rd term as a Criminal District Judge. Previously, he served as an Assistant District Attorney for 10 years. He is a Board Certified Specialist in both Criminal Law and Criminal Appellate Law by the State Bar of Texas. He served as Chair of the Judicial Advisory Council for 19 years before be-ing appointed by the Governor as a member of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. The first Texas State Jail Prison was named after him and he has twice been elected Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

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worked for Ronald F. Yates & Associates in Marble Falls, Texas, from 1981 to 1989; the Law Offices of Lucius D. Bunton in Austin, Texas, from 1989 to 2012; and was a solo practioner sharing offices with Mr. Bunton from 2012 to 2017. He became the Executive Director of TSTA on January 1, 2018.

The areas of Mr. Crier’s legal practice were general civil litigation and practice, family law, immigration law, real estate, wills and probate, amateur competition, business, non-profit corporate law, administrative law, and employment law. Mr. Crier has four reported cases, including Texas Department of Public Safety v. Martin, 882 S.W. 476 (Tex.App. Beaumont, 1994).

Jack R. Crier...Continued from front page

Mario A. Martinez...Continued from front page

the lobby alike for the expertise he has garnered during his extensive tour of legislative duty and the consistently principled manner in which he conducts business on behalf of his clients. Additional clients represented are, the legislative law firm of Johnson & Johnson, Committee of Texas Independents (Alliance of Independent Royalty owners of oil and gas industry), Texas Consumer Lenders, the law firm of Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP, and the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA), along with various other clients.

Martinez & Associates has been located in the Westgate building since 1999 which is directly across the street from the Texas State Capitol. His wife of 23 years, Louann Martinez, is also a legislative consultant with various interests in the public education arena.

From the Executive Director…Members, TSTA is aware of the reduction in force affecting the retired/rehired commis-sioned officers. The DPS Manual 07.37.00 allows the Department to lay off commissioned officers as part of its power to manage personnel. However, this policy does not on its face appear to allow dismissal of an entire classification of commissioned employees. We are still researching applicable statutes and regulations and we will continue to update you as more information becomes available.

Sincerely,

Jack R. Crier Executive Director

FCC Adds 'Blue Alerts' to Nation's Emergency Alerting SystemsWASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Federal Communications Commission added the “Blue Alert” to the nation’s emer-gency alerting systems in December 2017.

In an order adopted on Dec. 14 the FCC created a dedicated Blue Alert event code in the Emergency Alert System so that state and local agencies have the option to send these warnings to the public through broadcast, cable, satellite, and wireline video providers, according to a news release.

Blue Alerts warn the public when there is actionable information related to a law enforcement officer who is missing, seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, or when there is an imminent credible threat to an officer. A Blue Alert could quickly warn the public of the where-abouts of a violent suspect and provide instructions on what to do if that person is spotted.

Officials may also send Blue Alerts through the Wire-less Emergency Alert system to consumers’ wireless phones.

The action supports the development of compatible and integrated Blue Alert plans throughout the United States, a goal consistent with the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015.

The Act -- implemented by the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) -- directs cooperation with the FCC.

The FCC’s order provides a 12-month implementation period for Blue Alerts to be delivered over the Emergency Alert System and 18 months for delivery over the Wire-less Emergency Alert system.

Officer.com News, Dec. 21, 2017

TSTA Officer Membership Advantages

• Free Last Will & Testament • Free AD&D Insurance • Emergency Assistance• Legal Assistance • Legislative Representation • Personal Counsel • Monthly Newsletter (Online)

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By Mark Riordan, DPS Lt., Ret.CEO of “MRW Security”

Cryptocurrency

As 2017 drew to a close and 2018 sprang upon us, there was a little blip in the financial world that created overnight millionaires and that we, as law enforcement officers, need to learn about as it will be our future. Digi-tal currency, forever associated with the name Bitcoin, is upon us in a wave of speculation that has seen the price nearing $20,000 each, having started 2017 at only $1,000 each. Did you know, however, that there are now over 1,000 different digital currencies, also known as crypto-currencies? And that some have risen in value many tens of thousands of times? This new world is attracting the criminal element, and you need to know about it. So what exactly is digital currency?

The typical definition includes a comparison to the physical dollar, but I would ask that you, instead, com-pare cryptocurrency to your bank account where no dol-lar bill exists. Using your online checking account to pay bills is what the future of cryptocurrencies will be. You will use your account to pay for things just like you do now. The difference and this is where the government gets nervous, and banks see their profits drop to zero, is that the proof of the existence of your money falls to individu-als who use their computers to validate the whole system.

These individuals, who are volunteers, are called min-ers because allowing the system to use their computers rewards them with cryptocurrency, a process that was named "mining" early on. Not only do the miners vali-date each transaction, but they also validate the entire history of transactions and to include all future transac-tions. Every single digital transaction from day one is vis-ible to every miner (and law enforcement as well). Only the identity of persons involved in the transactions are hidden but, again, law enforcement can still find them and have in many recent criminal cases. These transactions are contained in computer code called blockchains.

In our current system, banks provide that validation, and charge you to do so. Governments tax those trans-actions and spy on them and employ thousands of gov-ernment workers to make sure all is done according to laws. Politicians make laws then retire and open consult-ing firms to make millions interpreting the laws they just made for you. And every one of them stands to lose their job if cryptocurrency catches on. Any wonder why these so-called experts hate cryptocurrency?

While we have this concept in mind, let's talk for a minute about hackers. In our current system, it's possible to hack banks, credit card companies, stores, etc., and steal your hard-earned money. In America, we rely on the vast wealth built into the system to get our money back.

Banks will refund hacked money and so will credit card companies. In the cryptocurrency world, the hack could still occur but not from the transactions, because they are validated continuously. No hack could occur after you use your funds to purchase something other than from your own "wallet," which now is kept individually or per-sonally rather than in a bank's account. Someone could steal your digital currency wallet from wherever you keep it and use your funds. And because there's no bank, there's no returning your money. Sound scary to you? For many, however, it sounds way more legitimate than our current system.

Before we get too deep into this new world, I know that in the back of most people's mind is the burning question: "If you have a bitcoin, just exactly what do you have?" The answer is simple, or vastly complicated depending on where you stand in the industry. If you want to make this whole new world seem magical and scary (i.e., banks, governments, etc.), then it's a valueless boondoggle. But the truth is that a bitcoin or any such digital currency is only worth what people will pay for it and will pay to use it and thus, it's no different than the dollar or any other currency that is traded on the various money exchanges. Lest you assign a value to the U.S. dollar, remember that its value is based upon nothing other than the value people put on it, the gold standard having been abolished in 1976. In those terms, it's no different than cryptocurrency.

While it's more difficult to wrap your heads around the "value" of digital currency for Americans, just put yourself in the shoes of any country whose currency has strug-gled. For those living in Venezuela or Argentina, where the official government currency is continually devalued, wouldn't you love to have some other form of currency to use? One whose value is set internationally by your peers rather than by some government? The experts involved in the growth of the cryptocurrency industry believe that developing countries and those places in the world where the banking industry is suspect or tightly government con-trolled is where the use of digital currency will explode.

The most commonly known digital currency is bitcoin created from a group of cryptolo-gy experts in 2008 and officially born in January 2009. One characteristic of bitcoin that has many currency experts betting on its success is that the actual number of bitcoins is set at 21 million, which is expected to be reached in the year 2040. But it's possible to trade frac-tions of bitcoin down to one 10 millionths.

We could talk about bitcoins for hours, and I would suggest that anyone wanting to learn the history of bitcoin to watch the documentary on Netflix about it, then go to the Internet and do your research.

As for law enforcement, I used to teach a class in computer forensics that was all about the best com-puter forensics investigators being the best interviewer, not the best programmer. It's old-fashioned police work

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Mark A. Riordan, MRW’s CEO, Texas PSB C04120001, (www.MRWSC.com) is a 32-year veteran of the Texas Department of Pub-lic Safety. Prior to Co-Founding CRW Security in 2014 and its 2016 renaming to MRW Security, Riordan owned and operated JMark Consulting, Inc., a Private Investigations/Consulting firm where he provided his accomplished expertise to law enforcement, private and corporate clients worldwide.

that will solve these cases, not the ability to understand the cryptocurrency world completely. In fact, the many successful investigations into the bitcoin world have oc-curred because the crooks were careless. Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the "dark web" website Silk Road that used bitcoin to buy and sell narcotics, used an old nickname known to law enforcement while hiring new help. The FBI tracked his computer use in the process and caught him logging into the Silk Road website as the Administrator in an Internet cafe in San Francisco.

Stay on top of cryptocurrency so that you know the concepts, the basic terminology, and the process, and you'll be able to successfully investigate those bad actors who use this new money to further their illegal gains. As the digital currency world grows, so will your exposure to this new tool for criminals.

Cryptocurrency...Continued from page 4

ATTENTION TSTA MEMBERS!Did you forget to renew your TSTA membership before the December 31, 2017 deadline?

All is not lost, you can still renew with all benefits intact. Please take a mo-ment now to renew your membership. It’s only $25. Click here to renew and pay your annual dues online using our secure transaction processing, or mail back your application that was mailed to you. If you wait to renew after the extended January 31st, 2018 deadline you will have to wait six months from the date of your renewal for TSTA’s free legal assistance. Renew now! For your family’s sake.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper Danny Shaw Jr., a Forney, Texas, native and Forney High School graduate, was presented a Purple Heart on Thursday, December 21, by the Texas Public Safety Commission (PSC) and DPS Director Steven McCraw.

Shaw was recognized for his actions during a gunfight at the Texas-Mexico border last year in which he was in-jured, having suffered a gunshot wound to the hip.

On November 25, 2016, Shaw was deployed to the Rio Grande Valley in support of border operations. Dur-ing those operations, Shaw, and other state and federal officers, were patrolling the border in Starr County when gunfire was reported on the Mexican side of the border.

"The gunfire was suspected to be an exchange of gun-fire between the Mexican military and three individuals attempting to illegally gain entry into the U.S.," according to DPS in a statement. "Trooper Shaw responded to the area with the intent of monitoring and preventing the vio-lence from crossing into the U.S."

"While monitoring the situation, an unknown person from the Mexican side of the border fired upon the Texas-based officers," continued the statement. "Trooper Shaw was struck in the right hip, causing significant injuries, which he is still recovering from."

Shaw and his brother, Dallas County Community Col-lege District Police Department Corporal Bryan Shaw, were recognized last year during the 85th Legislature with the passage of HR 671, a resolution authored by District 33 House Representative Justin Holland and joint-authored by District 4 House Representative Lance Gooden.

The resolution recognized the two brothers who were both injured by gunfire in the line of duty in separate inci-dents last year. Reprinted with permission from the Shaw family. www.inforney.com. December 23, 2017.

DPS Trooper Danny Shaw present-ed Purple Heart for actions during gunfight at Texas-Mexico border

Photo courtesy Melissa Shaw

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DPS Welcomes 97 New Highway Patrol Troopers

said PSC Chairman Steven P. Mach. “We are confident you will make us all proud as you walk out these doors to begin your new career serving and protecting our state as a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper.”

The D-2017 class, which is the department’s 162nd recruit school, included 18 women, 16 former peace of-ficers and 36 military veterans. The oldest graduate was 42-years-old and the youngest was 21-years-old. The class suspended training for a week to assist disaster relief operations in downtown Houston during Hurricane Harvey. They also raised money for school supplies for an Austin elementary school and law enforcement fami-lies who had a loved one killed or injured. There were recruits who moved to Texas to join the Academy from 11 different states outside of Texas, and this is believed to be the highest number of women graduates in one class in the department’s history.

“You now represent DPS and the State of Texas in all that you say and do, so let the department’s core values – integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork – al-ways be your guide,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “Thank you for answering the call to serve and protect your state. Today you step into the important role as our state’s newest public protectors, and we are extremely proud of each of you.”

The new Troopers will report to duty stations across Texas in the coming weeks and spend the first six months in on-the-job training. The Troopers began the 24-week training academy in July. Instruction covered more than 100 subjects, including counterterrorism, traffic and crimi-nal law, arrest and control procedures, accident recon-struction, first aid and Spanish. They also received training in use of force, communication skills, firearms, driving, crimi-nal interdiction, cultural diversity and physical fitness.

To apply or for more information about joining the le-gion of brave and outstanding officers at the Texas De-partment of Public Safety, visit www.joindps.com.

- DPS Media & Communications, December 22, 2017.

On Friday, December 22, Texas Department of Pub-lic Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw was joined by members of the Texas Public Safety Commission (PSC) as the department commissioned 97 men and women as the state’s newest Highway Patrol Troopers.

Photos: DPS Media & Communications

Major General John F. Nichols, the Adjutant General of Texas, was the keynote speaker during the recruit gradu-ation ceremony held in Austin.

“This class of Texas State Troopers represents the best of our country: men and women of different back-grounds from Texas and beyond, all with a shared com-mitment to public service,” said Major General Nichols, who oversees the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard and Texas State Guard. “Texans can rest easy knowing there are brave men and women like those graduating today who work to keep our communities safe every day. The Texas Military Department is fortunate to call the Department of Public Safety one of our closest partners, and I am proud to serve alongside today's grad-uates to protect and serve the people of Texas.”

“Each of you has worked tremendously hard to get where you are today, and your perseverance and accom-plishments have been nothing less than remarkable,”

There are no routine stops.

Join TSTA...Membership in TSTA is available to ALL DPS commissioned officers, which includes both current and for-mer, first-line and supervisors.

To join online click here or fill out the application on page 12 of the newsletter.

Membership is only $25 a year. Don’t miss out on the valuable benefits you are entitled to when you become a TSTA member.

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Trooper James Glaze, Texas Highway Pa-trol–Plano, received a Life Saving Award and Dallas Police Department Officer Penelope Ber-nal and Dallas Police Department Cpl. Charles Jef-fers each received a Director’s Award. On July 2, 2017, Trooper Glaze received a call from the North Texas Tollway Authority regarding a vehicle travel-ing northbound in the southbound lanes in Dallas. Glaze responded to the area and located a motor-cycle rider with a severe, life-threatening leg injury. Cpl. Jeffers was applying a leather belt as a tour-niquet to stop the profuse bleeding. Trooper Glaze immediately began assisting. As Cpl. Jeffers tired from the exertion of keeping enough pressure to control the bleeding, Officer Bernal took over from her fellow officer while Trooper Glaze utilized Of-ficer Bernal’s tourniquet, after the original tourni-quet broke. Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel arrived on scene shortly after Trooper Glaze successfully applied the second tourniquet and took over res-cue efforts. The trauma surgeon that treated the victim indicated the application of the leather belt and subsequent tourniquets were instrumental in saving the victim’s life until he was transported to a higher level of care.

Former Trooper Emory King Jr. received a Purple Heart. On October 20, 2014, Trooper King was completing an inspection on a truck tractor/semi-trailer on the improved shoulder of State Highway 288 near the city of Angleton (Brazoria County). After completing the roadside inspection, Trooper King returned to his patrol unit to type the inspection report, but his patrol unit was struck from behind by a separate truck pulling a loaded flatbed semi-trailer. The collision crushed King’s patrol unit, pinning him inside. Trooper King was extracted from the patrol unit and subsequently transported by life-flight to a hospital in Houston. Due to his extensive injuries, Trooper King has had to undergo extensive reha-bilitation and is still impacted by injuries sustained in the wreck. Trooper King resigned from the de-partment in October 2015.

Texas Ranger Nick Hanna, Company E Odessa, and the Texas Ranger Division each received a Certificate of Recognition from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Ser-geant Terry Jacklin of the Royal Canadian Mount-ed Police presented the awards at the PSC meet-ing for assistance in developing cases in Canada based on the 2008 Texas Rangers investigation of the Fundamentalist Group of Latter Day Saints, known as the FLDS, in Schleicher County, Tex-as. During the investigation, it was discovered underage girls were transported from Canada to locations in the U.S. for the purpose of “spiritual marriages” with much older men, resulting in the sexual assault of girls as young as 12-years-old. Ranger Hanna, the case agent and evidence custodian for the FLDS cases in Texas, assisted RCMP Agents developing cases in Canada. To date, this evidence has helped the RCMP bring several FLDS members to trial, resulting in crimi-nal convictions for the transportation of underage girls across international lines for the purpose of sexual abuse.

DPS Recognizes Heroes, Exceptional AchievementsOn December 21, 2017 the Public Safety Commission and DPS Driector Steven McCraw presented the following awards:

The Intelligence and Counterterrorism-Texas Ranger Analytical Support Unit, of Austin, received a Unit Citation. Since January of 2011, the Texas Ranger Analytical Support Unit has dedicated itself to supporting the Texas Ranger Division, including the Miss-ing Persons Clearinghouse and the Unidenti-fied Persons and DNA Unit. In 2016, the Unit conducted 4,655 analytical assists, resulting in identifying three missing persons, eight uniden-tified located persons, and 33 suspects. The unit supports the department’s efforts regard-ing high-risk missing juveniles and attempted abductions throughout the state. The Unit has also developed a great working relationship with the U.S. Department of State to help identify and locate missing persons and fugitives. Dur-ing the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the unit supported efforts by state and local agencies locating next of kin or children separated from their families. Analyst Supervisor Heidi Prath-er; and Crime Analysts Teresa Becker, Susan Burroughs, Courtney Fowler, Camila Plaisted, Melanie Schramm, and Lance Fuller were rec-ognized as part of the Unit Citation.

Also at the PSC meeting, there was a Tex-as Flag Presentation in honor of Barbara Ann Jenkins, Driver License Division–Aus-tin, who was months away from 50 years of service with DPS when she passed away on Sept. 14, 2017. A certificate signed by Gover-nor Greg Abbot and a flag, which has been flown over the State Capitol, were presented to Jenkins’ family.

Source: DPS Media & Communications, December 22, 2017.

Trooper Danny Shaw Jr., Highway Patrol–Terrell, received a Purple Heart. See article on page 05

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The Armed Citizen● Police said a Washington state homeowner with a

concealed-carry permit followed best practices to the let-ter after he stumbled upon a criminal who was on the lam. The armed citizen, who told police he has been actively training for defensive use of a handgun for more than a decade, said his lessons paid off in terms of having the restraint to not fire. The fleeing suspect, with four out-standing warrants against him, was armed with a baton-like object when the resident saw him several feet from his child’s bedroom. The law-abiding gun owner drew his gun from the holster, assumed a solid stance and held the suspect at gunpoint until the police arrived. (q13fox.com, Seattle, WA, 9/18/17)

● An intruder thought he had it made when he forced all of the occupants of the house he was robbing into the basement. According to police, when the trespasser en-tered the house around 7:30 a.m., he told the occupants he was going to rob them, and threatened them with a fire-arm. Fortunately, there was one male resident elsewhere in the home whom the robber had not seen, and was able to retrieve a handgun that he keeps for self-defense. When the intruder exited the basement and stepped into the kitchen, the resident shot the robber multiple times in the chest. (Post-Tribune, Hammond, IN, 9/22/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives December 1970David Kline, a night-clerk in a Phoenix, Ariz., market,

thwarted a robbery attempt by two youths during early morning hours. One grabbed Kline around the neck and held a knife to his stomach, while the other cleaned out the cash register. When two customers entered, the pair ran into the back of the store. That gave Kline an oppor-tunity to grab a shotgun and apprehend the youths at the back door. (Gazette, Phoenix, AZ)

Reprint from American Rifleman, December 1, 2017.

DPS Seeks Leads in 1995 Murder of Liberty County Deputy$35,000 in Rewards Offered to Solve Case

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking the public's help in solving the 1995 murder of Liberty County Sheriff's Office Patrol Deputy Wilburn Ju-nior "Will" Agy, who was shot and killed while acting in an official ca-pacity. As part of the Office of the Governor and Texas Crime Stop-per's Fallen Hero Reward – Texas Remembers program, a reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information that results in this case being solved. In addition, Crime Stoppers of Houston and The 100 Club of Houston are partnering to offer a reward of up to $10,000, and Multi-County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000. All tips are guaranteed to be anonymous.

On April 5, 1995, at approximately 11 p.m., Deputy Agy was shot and killed as he was working an extra job as a security officer at a shopping center located near Fondren Road and Sanford Road in southwest Houston. Two masked gunmen entered a video store located at 11092 Fondren Road, and as Agy turned to confront the gunmen, he was fatally shot by one of the unidentified suspects.

Witnesses described the suspects as black males wearing black masks. At the time of the incident, one sus-pect was described as a 20 to 25-year-old male, approxi-mately 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 6 inches tall. The other suspect was described as approximately 5 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall. According to witnesses, the two gunmen fled on foot and were last seen northbound on Fondren Road.

To be eligible for the cash rewards, anyone with in-formation about the murder of Deputy Agy can provide anonymous tips in three different ways:

* Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).

* Text the letters “DPS”– followed by your tip – to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.

* Submit a tip online:https://www.tipsubmit.com/WebTipsCSI.aspx?L=E&AgencyID=650.

Deputy Wilburn Agy(deceased)

WE CARETEXAS STATE TROOPERS ASSOCIATION

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TSTA Officer Membership Advantages

• Free Last Will & Testament • Free AD&D Insurance • Emergency Assistance• Legal Assistance • Legislative Representation • Personal Counsel • Monthly Newsletter (Online)

Tea drinking may reduce risk of cognitive disorders

Coffee isn’t the only hot, healthy beverage — drinking tea also has many health benefits. According to a recent study, this may include reducing the risk of developing memory (cognitive) disorders.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, followed 1,000 older adults for five years. In that group, about 70 percent of people were regular tea drinkers. At the end of the study, tea drinkers were nearly half as likely as those who didn’t drink tea to develop a cognitive disorder. Various types of tea — whether green, black or oolong — appeared to be equally effective. The more important factor in reducing risk of cognitive disorders was regular tea drinking over long periods of time.

Although the study is suggestive of the tea-drinking benefit, it doesn’t prove cause and effect. In addition, there were factors that may have affected the results. As a group, the tea drinkers had higher levels of education, ate a healthier diet, had better mental status scores at the outset and were more likely to be physically active than were non-tea drinkers. When researchers controlled statistically for these factors, the calculated tea-drinking benefit was somewhat weakened. This study isn’t the first to find an association between tea drinking and reduced risk of cognitive decline or dementia. More investigation is needed to determine whether drinking tea or other lifestyle choices and demographic characteristics associated with drinking tea are cognitively protective.

There may be numerous health benefits to enjoying tea. Tea contains polyphenols such as catechins. These compounds help protect cells with their antioxidant activity. Research has also associated tea consumption with living longer and having better functional ability — more specifically, improvements in cardiovascular health, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.Reprint with permission from Mayo Clinic Health Letter, January 2018

Health tips

215 Arrested in Texas Anti-Gang Operation

Federal, state, and local law enforcement officers combined to take 215 gang members and affiliates off the streets of San Antonio, Texas. The busts came during a three-month joint law enforcement task force operation that ended on December 18, 2017.

Deputy U.S. Marshals, San Antonio police officers, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and Texas DPS troopers joined forces in Operation Triple Beam focusing on gang violence and crime reduction on the east side of San Antonio, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The operation resulted in the arrests of 215 people and the seizure of 70 guns, $233,373 in cash, and $176,153 in drugs.

“We focused like a laser beam and collaborated efforts with our state and local partners,” U.S. Marshals Agent Alessio Hernandez said.

Marshals from the Gang Enforcement Unit led the operation that led to the arrest of 40 federal fugitives. In addition to the arrests, marshal deputies also carried out 51 sex offender compliance checks, Agent Hernandez said.

The report did not specify which gangs were targeted. However, criminal activity by the transnational MS-13 gang has been a primary focus of the Trump Administration and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

In April, Governor Abbott raised the ante when he declared Houston “will be hostile territory for gangs,” Breitbart Texas reported.

“This recent wave of senseless violence cannot continue,” Governor Abbott told reporters at a press conference. “Government’s foremost responsibility is to keep our citizens safe and secure. Texas will take action and use all lawful means to put an end to this lawlessness.”

The Governor pledged state resources to:• Establish a Tactical Operations Center in Houston to

enhance and coordinate operations around the clock.

• Provide $500,000 in new funding from the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division to increase Texas Anti-Gang Center resources in the Houston area.

• Deploy additional Texas Rangers and DPS Special Agents to support local law enforcement.

• Deploy added technology, including air assets and patrol unit tracking, to enhance timely collection and analysis of intelligence

In October, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told the International Association of Chiefs of Police that the DOJ will use “whatever laws we have” to get MS-13 gang members off the streets, Breitbart Texas reported. The attorney general warned MS-13 gang members in April that “We are targeting you.”

The Department of Homeland Security announced that during FY2017 Homeland Security Investigations agents and Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested nearly 5,000 gang members including 796 members and affiliates of MS-13.

Reprint: www.Breitbart.com, December 19, 2017.

10

WHAT YOUR $25 ANNUAL TSTA DUES BUYSfor Officer Members, both current and former

*Free Last Will & Testament -TSTA Member and His/Her SpouseA TSTA member becomes a commissioned officer and puts life on the line every dayA TSTA member marriesA TSTA member adds baby(ies) to familyA TSTA member divorcesA TSTA member divorces and then remarriesThese are a few reasons TSTA members have taken advantage of this benefit. All are important reasons to have a will in place

and also redone when circumstances change. TSTA furnishes this service at no cost.

*Free AD&D Insurance - Up to $4,000A TSTA member is killed while on vacation in a freak accident.A TSTA member is killed in the line of duty.No matter how a member meets his end, as long as it is an accident the insurance pays--also if member loses limb or sight due

to an accident the insurance pays.

*Emergency Assistance - Disaster/DeathFlood waters from hurricane ruined their home. Electricity was out and all their food ruined. Furniture, computers & TV’s all

ruined. Homeowners insurance covered some, but not all--not motel bills or insurance deductible. TSTA members got an immediate assistance check through their membership.

A TSTA member was killed in a highway crash. His wife received a $2000 TSTA emergency assistance check immediately (this type gift is not always automatic). It did not heal the grief of the lost husband/father, but it provided fast help until the insurance paid off.

*Legal AssistanceA Highway Patrol Trooper arrested a young DWI who spent a few hours in jail. The young man’s father, a city council official in

their town, filed a lawsuit against the Trooper. For various reasons, DPS legal services did not defend him. But TSTA did-with their attorney, whose services were worth big money. The suit was settled peaceably out of court. It happened just that way because the HP Trooper had joined TSTA and paid his $25 annual dues.

*Legislative RepresentationA Highway Patrol Trooper was injured and disabled for life. TSTA helped him financially early. Later, working with troopers

and other DPS friends and utilizing its lobbyist, TSTA helped the injured trooper secure lifetime disability income from the state.TSTA members are employed by the state. This means that they serve at the discretion of the Texas Legislature, which controls

the law enforcement budget. This controls DPS officers’ salaries and other financial factors which affect the officer’s career and his family. TSTA maintains close relations with senators and state representatives. Yes, TSTA is a lobbyist for DPS commissioned officers. Its knowledgeable people often explain trooper needs to these elected officials. The TSTA/legislative relationship is a good one, valuable to DPS commissioned officers.

*Personal CounselMany situations arise in an officer’s life, both professional and personal. They can be discouraging and stressful, such as illness

in the family or injury to the officer. TSTA is here for you with advice and assistance -just call.

*Online Monthly NewsletterIf you are a TSTA member and have filled out an on-line profile, it will be delivered straight to your in-box. Otherwise, you can go

to www.texasstatetroopers.org to access. You’ll get unique articles and pictures about troopers, families… their accomplishments and problems. Also DPS events and new equipment, legislative news, courtroom criminal/legal analysis by veteran criminal Judge Larry Gist - and even a few chuckles. Look for it the first week of every month.

OFFICER MEMBERS GET SO MUCH VALUABLE HELP FOR A ONE-TIME ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE OF $25. WHAT A GREAT BARGAIN AND A GREAT GIFT TO YOUR FAMILY.

11

Save money on quality JUSTIN

TROOPER BOOTS!•soft, durable leather • cushion insole • high abrasion, oil-resistant sole and heel • long-wearing • meet DPS uniform requirements!

Price includes shipping

This is a special members’ benefit purchase through TSTA arrangements with Justin Boot Company. To order, call TSTA at 1-800-289-8782.

Kuempel’s Korner

hand-craftedin USA!

10-inchCOWBOY $139.00

Wife: “I have blisters on my hands from the broom.”Husband: “Next time take the car, silly!”

* * * *

Who called it...*…car repair instead of auto correct?*…your foot falling asleep instead of coma toes?*…a mug shot instead of a cellfie? *…the sun instead of a space heater?*…a veterinarian instead of a dogtor?

Source: reddit.com

* * * *

Why do fish sing off key?Because you can’t tuna fish!

* * * *

A classmate and I were walking past a poster in our school hallway. It featured a photo of Einstein with the words Even Einstein Read Books.

My friend was amazed: “I didn’t know Einstein’s first name was Evan.”

* * * *

How do you count cows?With a cowculator!

* * * *

A barber asked a boy, “How would you like your hair cut, buddy?”

“Just like Daddy’s!” the boy replied.“And don’t forget the round hole on the top where his

head comes through.”

* * * *

What do you call a deer with no eyes?No eye-deer!

* * * *

My son Timothy was his brother’s best man. To commemorate the event, Daniel bought him a silver mug, but the engraver made a slight mistake. The mug read “Best man once, a bother forever.

* * * *

A man got hit in the head with a can of Coke but he was alright because it was a soft drink.

* * * *“Look over there!” said the frightened skunk to his pal.

“There’s a human with a gun, and he’s getting closer and closer! What are we going to do?”The second skunk bowed his head and calmly replied,

“Let us spray.”* * * *

Which way did the programmer go?He went data way!

* * * *

When you’re stressed, you eat ice cream, cake, chocolate and sweets.

Why? Because stressed spelled backwards is desserts.

12

Statement of PurposeTexas State Trooper is an official publication of the Texas State Troopers Association. Should you

have news you would like published send to: Texas State Troopers Association 5555 North Lamar, Ste. D111 Austin, TX 78751 E-mail us at TSTAMAIL@aol.com The Texas State Troopers Association is open to all members of the Department of Public Safe-

ty, both current and former. TSTA will work hard for the betterment of life for every member of the department.

FOR MEMBERSHIP: Complete the application below. Mail it and a check for $25 payable to the Texas State Troopers Association to the address at the top of the application. Include your jacket size: M, L, XL, XXL or XXXL (first time member only). Your cap and jacket will be mailed to you. Or you may register and pay your dues on-line at www.texasstatetroopers.org and click Join TSTA.

WILLS: Members are reminded that one of your benefits from TSTA is the free preparation of a last will and testament. Please contact TSTA for further information.

If you need to update an email or mailing address click here.

2018Application for Membership

TEXAS STATE TROOPERS ASSOCIATION5555 N. Lamar, Ste. D111, Austin, Texas 78751

www.texasstatetroopers.org

Dues $25Pay with check by mail or go to

www.texasstatetroopers.organd pay via credit card

Name (Last) (First) (M) Date of Birth Rank and Service

Home Address (Street, City, Zip Code) Home Phone Number (include area code)

Office Address (Street, City, Zip Code) Office Phone Number (include area code)

Date Employed Date of Commission Date of Termination (if no longer w/DPS)

Membership dues paid to TSTA are not deductible as gifts or charitable contributions but may be deductible un-der an IRC Section other than Section 170 (c).

I,__________________________________________, request membership into the Texas State Troopers Association, and if accepted agree to abide by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association, the rules and decisions of its officers. I also agree to pay annual dues of Twenty-Five (25) Dollars for all of a calendar year or any part thereof.

I understand that any unreasonable failure to assist a fellow member of the Texas State Troopers Association will result in this membership being cancelled by the board of directors at their option.

Signature of Applicant Home E-Mail

Date_______________

Jacket Size___________

(First time member only)

For Office Use Only

LRE_________________

Payment_____________