THE WOODLANDS, Texas — (March 28, 2008) — Ten public safety heroes were recognized tonight for going the extra mile to make The Woodlands Town Center and South Montgomery County a safe community as The Woodlands Township presented the 13th Annual Public Safety Heroes Awards Banquet with the theme “Recognizing Honor &Valor.”

Held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center with more than 300 honorees, guests, and community leaders in attendance, the event paid tribute to 10 individual men and women in public safety from 10 different jurisdictions and agencies in South Montgomery County. Each was nominated by their peers and superiors for outstanding community service. The awardees included:

• Lieutenant David Dottei of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – Town Center

• Deputy David Everton of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – The Woodlands • Deputy Constable Joshua Hansen of the Montgomery County Constable, Precinct 3

• Lieutenant A. Bryan Carlisle of the Shenandoah Police Department • Officer Elizabeth McLaughlin of the Oak Ridge North Police Department

• Trooper Michael Wheless of the Texas Department of Public Safety – Highway Patrol Division

• Officer Christina Greenwood of the Conroe ISD Police Department

• Captain Charlie Soliz of the Lone Star College Police Department

• Captain Robert Moore of the The Woodlands Fire Department

• Paramedic III Paul Schoenemann of the Montgomery County Hospital District

The Woodlands Township (The Township) hosts this event each year, along with support and sponsorships from many other businesses and individuals in The Woodlands and South Montgomery County area.

This year, the major sponsors were The Woodlands Development Company, The Woodlands Township, D&D Collision Specialist, and Heritage Texas Properties – Realtor, Kathryn Brown. Other sponsors included Munday Chevrolet/Munday Mazda, Consolidated Communications and City of Shenandoah CVB, as well as Alpha & Omega Royal Courtesy Mounted Patrol, CB&I, Community Associations of The Woodlands, Huntsman, K & M Technology Group LLP, MICRO-MAINFRAME Consultants, Null-Lairson, and Schwartz, Page & Harding, L.L.P.

Nelda Luce Blair, Chairman of the Board for The Woodlands Township, said, “This is certainly one of the most worthwhile events in our community, and we have once again produced an exceptional program for these special heroes. Since The Woodlands has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation, these men and women deserve our recognition and appreciation.”

Stephen P. Sumner, Sr., Vice President of Operations and Public Safety for The Woodlands Township, added, “We are proud to recognize and honor all the public safety personnel who make South Montgomery County and The Woodlands Township one of the safest places in the country to live, shop, work and play. The dedication and exemplary service of these ten outstanding individuals has earned them special recognition from their peers as well as their supervisors. We are grateful for the support from the local business community that has helped show our appreciation to these fine public safety representatives who truly deserve to be acknowledged.”

The program was highlighted by a commemorative video produced by Silver Rock Productions, which dramatically illustrated the unique story about each individual’s on-the-job contributions. Community leader Bruce Tough served as the honorary master of ceremonies, while the Oak Ridge High School Air Force Jr. ROTC Color Guard performed a Presentation of Colors, bagpiper Shayla Mootz, followed by 11-year-old Kaitlyn Knipper’s singing performance of the National Anthem.

Each honoree received letters of recognition from United States Congressman Kevin Brady, State Senator Tommy Williams and State Representative Rob Eissler. In addition, each honoree received a commemorative shadow box of memorabilia, as well as special gifts contributed by generous local merchants.

Photo Caption:

During the 13th Annual Public Safety Heroes Awards banquet, hosted by The Woodlands Township on March 28th at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, ten men and women in public safety were recognized for their heroic honor and valor in making The Woodlands Township and South Montgomery County a safe community in which to shop, play, live and work.

The honorees were:

Front Row (L to R): Lt. David Dottei, Public Safety Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – District 6; Officer Elizabeth McLaughlin, Oak Ridge North Police Dept.; Officer Christina Greenwood, Conroe ISD Police Department; Deputy David Everton, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – District 2; Deputy Constable Joshua Hansen, Montgomery County Constable, Precinct 3.

Back Row (L to R): Paramedic III Paul Schoenemann, Montgomery County Hospital District; Captain Robert Moore, The Woodlands Fire Department; Lt. Bryan Carlisle, Shenandoah Police Department; Captain Charlie Soliz, Lone Star College Police Department; Trooper Mike Wheless, Texas Department of Public Safety – Highway Patrol Division.

Media Contacts:

Nick Wolda, The Woodlands Township, office (281) 363-2447; cell (281) 455-8600 Kelly Overbeck, The Woodlands Township, office (281) 363-2447; cell (832) 257-6886

Details of Heroic Actions:

Recipient #1

David Dottei, Lieutenant, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, District 6

Lieutenant David Dottei is receiving this honor for the second time as he has repeatedly demonstrated that he is an outstanding leader. He was recognized in 2004 for his contributions to law enforcement and providing his crime prevention expertise to Woodlands residents.

Accolades and a deep appreciation are well deserved by Lt. Dottei. Over the past year he has been the driving force behind District 6 – Town Center law enforcement. His hard work, enthusiasm, love of his job and people contribute to the district’s low crime rate that is almost one-half that of the national average.

Lt. Dottei recognizes the unique challenges of law enforcement and crime prevention in the Town Center. With more than 20 million visitors a year, Lt. Dottei has met the challenge of maintaining a safe environment by creating partnerships between law enforcement and local businesses. Additionally, he created an opportunity for residents and public safety officials to meet one-on-one through a Good Neighbor Day.

Through specialized training in Tourism Oriented Policing, Lt. Dottei has brought innovative and unique initiatives to Town Center. Area events including Red, Hot and Blue, The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, Lighting of the Doves and countless others consistently remain incident free thanks to the leadership of Lt. Dottei.

Unique challenges are also presented during the holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving in 2007, The Woodlands Mall parking lot was at 100% capacity by 10 a.m. and continued to be full throughout the weekend. Because of the leadership of Lt. Dottei, only one incident of Burglary of Motor Vehicle was reported during this very busy time.

Lt. Dottei understands the importance of safety in Montgomery County for visitors and residents alike. His strong leadership skills and ability to coordinate the efforts of seventeen deputies, whether by patrol vehicle, bike or foot patrol, contribute to the low crime rate in District 6. Each day Lt. Dottei strives to keep us all safe and our area crime free. He has accomplished that and more.

Recipient #2

David Everton, Deputy, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, District 2 – The Woodlands

Deputy David Everton of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assigned to District 2 – The Woodlands shortly after the division was initiated. On a daily basis Deputy David Everton exhibits professionalism through his actions and presence in the community. Through his community policing and proactive initiatives he has made numerous arrests and solved many crimes.

Excellent communication skills and a professional demeanor assist Deputy Everton in addressing problems within his assigned area. Additionally, he has an exceptional ability to detect suspicious activity, follow through on his instincts, and make his presence known.

Deputy Everton’s natural ability to detect criminal activity has led to the recovery of tens of thousands of dollars in stolen property, large amounts of narcotics including marijuana and cocaine, and large quantities of cash being transported by suspected drug dealers. Deputy Everton has been responsible for the arrest of the individuals in possession of the above stated items, and was responsible for preventing a burglary of residence in The Woodlands.

Beyond his law enforcement accomplishments Deputy Everton conducted C.P.R. on an individual that had stopped breathing, bringing him back to a responsive status prior to E.M.S. arriving at the scene. During his off-duty time, Deputy Everton takes an active role in educating and guiding young children by volunteering to read at a local intermediate school.

Deputy Everton can be relied on to carry out any assignment in his patrol area, fulfilling his role as a professional and a community-oriented peace officer. Deputy Everton’s continued efforts toward community policing go above and beyond the call of duty, making him a valuable asset to his department and the community he serves - The Woodlands.

Recipient #3

Joshua Hansen, Deputy Constable, Montgomery County Constable’s Office, Precinct 3

During his 7 years of law enforcement experience, Deputy Constable Joshua Hansen has served the Montgomery County Constable’s Office – Precinct 3, for 4 years. He began his career with the Walker County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office. While there he attained his degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. Upon graduation he joined the Constable’s Office, and serves our area with distinction.

Deputy Constable Hansen excels in his position. Through professionalism and careful attention to duty, he was instrumental in assisting a Christmas Day return of kidnapped children to their mother.

Deputy Hansen was also instrumental in the arrest of an armed robber and car thief, who was being sought state-wide. Upon observing the suspect vehicle traveling toward Harris County, Deputy Hansen began to follow the suspect vehicle. Once the primary agency units were in position a felony traffic stop was initiated on crowded FM 1960, where the suspect fled on foot. Officers including Deputy Hansen gave chase. When the suspect bailed out of the vehicle in traffic, he left the car in gear. As the now unoccupied vehicle continued forward it jeopardized several other vehicles that were caught up in traffic. Deputy Hansen, upon seeing this, abandoned his foot pursuit and jumped into the moving vehicle and brought it to a stop just inches away from striking innocent and unsuspecting motorist. This suspect was arrested by the other officers in the pursuit. It was determined that he had been involved in several other stolen vehicle cases earlier in the day.

In addition to his thorough law enforcement skills, Deputy Constable Hansen continually promotes community-police partnerships. He believes in being a part of the community by building relationships and maintaining contact with the citizens he serves.

Along with Deputy Constable Hansen’s many law enforcement achievements, he has captured the unwavering respect and admiration of his peers and supervisors, and consistently performs his duties with fidelity.

Recipient #4

Bryan Carlisle, Lieutenant, Shenandoah Police Department

Lieutenant Bryan Carlisle was selected and recruited by the City of Shenandoah Police Department specifically to help them achieve their goal of National Accreditation. Lieutenant Carlisle’s reputation as a leader and hard worker was exactly what the department was looking for in a person to lead them through the accreditation process.

Once Lieutenant Carlisle accepted the position for overseeing the accreditation, he hit the ground running by developing and molding the department’s policies and procedures to fit the specifications of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, (CALEA). Sergeant Carlisle then directed his focus to each individual of the department, and developed an agency that could comply with the policies that had been set forth by the new guidelines.

Lieutenant Carlisle worked over a year to get the department ready for an on-site assessment, which took place in August 2007. Three members of the CALEA Team came to Shenandoah and turned the agency inside out to verify compliance. During that three day assessment the team found very few items that needed to be corrected and gave the department a unanimous recommendation to be the first law enforcement agency in Montgomery County to receive National Accreditation.

In less than half the time allotted by CALEA, Lieutenant Carlisle led the department to obtaining national accreditation. In November 2007, several members of the Shenandoah Police Department and other city leaders traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado to receive their accreditation award.

The City of Shenandoah Police Department is very proud of that award, but more importantly, they are proud of the people who helped them achieve it. Lieutenant Bryan Carlisle was the guiding principal behind that accomplishment, and in recognition of his outstanding performance, he is being honored here tonight.

Recipient #5

Elizabeth McLaughlin, Officer, Oak Ridge North Police Department

Officer Elizabeth McLaughlin has proudly served the Oak Ridge North Police Department for 5 years and is currently assigned as the Property Room Custodian and Administrative Assistant for the department.

Officer McLaughlin’s duties with the department are varied and necessary. She monitors the input of data to the computer system, prepares and assembles cases for presentation to the District Attorney’s Office, and manages over one thousand video tape archive files used to monitor profiling activities and for evidentiary purposes. Other responsibilities include registration and filing of all property submitted as evidence by officers of the department, preparing seizure documents, and destruction and return of property and evidence.

In her role as Property Room Custodian, Officer McLaughlin initiated and researched the destruction and sale of abandoned and seized property. With thorough research in hand she made recommendations that were then implemented by the department. This initiative streamlined the process, kept the evidence room from becoming overburdened with property and saved the city money.

Through Officer McLaughlin’s volunteer efforts she participates in programs that benefit young girls in the community by providing adult mentoring in real life situations. She also spearheaded the Oak Ridge North Police Department’s effort to participate in the Safe Child program. Officer McLaughlin’s foundational efforts support this agency and its officers in their mission to provide quality police protection to the community. Without complaint, and often with long hours and frustration, Officer McLaughlin continually strives to serve her community.

Recipient #6

Michael Wheless, Trooper, Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol Division

The Texas Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol is full of outstanding troopers and tonight’s honoree is a perfect representation of this department. Trooper Mike Wheless has been with the D.P.S. for 4 years.

On March 11, 2007, Trooper Michael Wheless responded to a single vehicle fatality crash on Rayford Road. During the course of the investigation, Trooper Wheless was injured by the explosion of an electrical transformer located atop an electrical pole that was destroyed by the crash.

Suffering from a fractured right ankle, Trooper Wheless was kept from his normal patrol duties for almost 4 months. During this time, Trooper Wheless provided valuable assistance in the office by lending guidance and mentoring less-experienced Troopers.

Prior to his injury, and since his return, Trooper Wheless has consistently exhibited a strong work ethic and continues to demonstrate strong enforcement work in South Montgomery County. Additionally, he has been assigned to train a newly commissioned Trooper. Trooper Wheless’ maturity and experience have proven to be especially beneficial to newly assigned Troopers.

Trooper Wheless came to The Woodlands from the DPS Academy in August of 2004. He spent more than twenty years in the service of the United States Army and retired honorably. He has become a valuable asset to the Texas Department of Public Safety and to the citizens of the State of Texas.

Recipient #7

Christina Greenwood, Officer, Conroe Independent School District Police Department

Officer Christina Greenwood has been with the Conroe Independent School District Police Department 9 years, and is currently assigned to The Woodlands College Park and Oak Ridge High School feeder zones as the Truant Officer.

On a daily basis, Officer Greenwood takes the opportunity to positively impact young lives in South Montgomery County. Officer Greenwood performs many law enforcement duties in her assigned area including calls for service, radar enforcement, traffic control and management, and criminal investigation.

Serving as a mentor to children in need of a role model is one of Officer Greenwood’s greatest attributes. She greets everyone she meets with a smile and more importantly, she listens. Through her guidance and willingness to make a positive impact she often helps children make good choices.

Officer Greenwood is also a Gang Resistance Education and Training instructor. Additionally, she annually contributes her time and talent to the Police Activity League Summer Camps, which makes an impact on children’s lives throughout Montgomery County.

Officer Greenwood is commended on her continual commitment and ability to make a difference to the CISD Police Department, the students, parents and staff.

Recipient #8

Charlie L. Soliz, Captain, Lone Star College Police Department

Captain Charlie Soliz has served and protected Montgomery County communities for thirty-five years. Captain Soliz joined the Lone Star College Police Department in August of 1995, and has been a true asset not only to the Department and College, but to the general community as well.

Captain Charlie Soliz is an exceptional leader, a very professional officer, and is dedicated to the welfare of the college’s employees, students and community. With his knowledge and expertise in public safety, Captain Soliz, has developed many new polices and procedures for the District.

Captain Soliz, in conjunction with the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Montgomery County Health Department, implemented the first POD (Point of Distribution) system in the State of Texas. The system, which was also designed by Captain Soliz, is currently being modeled throughout the State in the event of a biological attack. When implemented, this system will protect the residents of Montgomery County from biological warfare, assist with disease outbreaks, and provide a safe haven in the event of hurricanes.

Captain Soliz has taken training to the next level. After several recent out-of-state school shootings, he has been instrumental in developing an Emergency Guide for the college. He has also developed an evacuation procedure, introduced the National Incident Management System to the college staff, and equipped the officers with the necessary tools to successfully overcome a hostage situation. His ability to train, prepare, and motivate his officers has taken the Lone Star College Police Department to the highest level of customer service.

Captain Soliz continuously demonstrates professionalism to his Officers. He leads by example and spends many extra hours with students and staff. He is self-motivated, consistently exhibits a high degree of skill, integrity, and perseverance in his job, and excels above and beyond his designated job duties in service to our community.

Recipient #9

Robert “Bob” Moore, Captain, The Woodlands Fire Department

Captain Bob Moore of The Woodlands Fire Department has served The Woodlands residents for twenty-two years. In that time, Captain Moore has received a number of awards for his unselfish dedication to The Woodlands Fire Department and the community.

Captain Moore agreed to take on the very important task of coordinating the inspection, mapping and documenting of all fire hydrants within The Woodlands. This is a daunting task considering there are approximately five-thousand fire hydrants within the boundaries of The Woodlands.

Immediately upon taking this vital assignment Captain Moore coordinated efforts that involved all 6 fire stations. Each fire station district was broken down into sections for inspections of the fire hydrants. Captain Moore collected all pertinent information involving the inspections and transferred it to a hard copy mapping system which will ultimately be converted into a GIS mapping system.

The in-service – out-of-service status of fire hydrants is extremely important to The Woodlands Fire Department’s mission. Captain Moore established a line of communication with The Joint Powers (which own the hydrants), supplying them with information about hydrants that were out-of-service and in need of repair. Additionally, Captain Moore established a biannual inspection of all hydrants.

Captain Moore’s countless hours of work to assure that a vital component of the community is inspected and documented for the community’s safety has not gone unnoticed.

Recipient #10

Paul Schoenemann, Paramedic 3, Montgomery County Hospital District - EMS

Paramedic Paul Schoenemann has been with the Montgomery County Hospital District for 9 years providing emergency medical care to citizens of South Montgomery County. He has been in the emergency medical services field for twenty-two years and consistently goes above and beyond in caring for his patients and sharing his knowledge with fellow paramedics. He has attained the highest ranking within his department, Paramedic 3.

As a Field Training Officer, Paramedic Schoenemann takes pride and special care in teaching new recruits as well as fellow paramedics who are striving to achieve a higher paramedic level. Additionally, Paramedic Schoenemann is a Montgomery Hospital District Instructor. As an Instructor he teaches various educational classes to District employees and other industry members.

Paramedic Schoenemann is also a Tactical Medical Team member. As a member of this distinctive team, he regularly receives specialized training and is often called out on short notice to accompany law enforcement and provide medical care in S.W.A.T. situations 24-hours a day.

His expertise has also earned him a place on both the Dispatch Review and Product Review committees. Paramedic Schoenemann, along with other Dispatch Review committee members, oversee the dispatch systems and make recommendations for emphasis and redesign. His experience is very beneficial to the Product Review committee, providing testing and analysis services on products for possible use in the emergency medical service field.