STAR Award

Annual Staff/Volunteer/Community Recognition Event

Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Star Award was presented in acknowledgment of an individual or organization in the community for actively supporting the mission of the Lubbock Regional Mental Health Mental Retardation Center. Recipients of this award are “shining star” examples of volunteers making a huge difference in the lives of people served by the Center.

This year, the 1^st Star Award recipient was the City of Lubbock Police Department.

Public safety is integral to the missions of both the Lubbock Police Department and Lubbock Regional MHMR Center, which makes our collaboration a perfect match! This year, the Lubbock Police Department, spearheaded by Assistant Chief of Police Thomas Esparza, worked tirelessly to write and execute a formal Memorandum of Understanding that outlines a process by which police officers work with our Crisis personnel in order to most effectively and efficiently utilize community public safety resources.

The Memorandum of Understanding will assist the LPD from having to jail someone who should really be served in a psychiatric hospital and will allow MHMR to shorten the amount of time police officers spend involved in psychiatric crises.

Formal collaboration of this nature is unprecedented in the working history of our two entities. Chief Dale Holton and Lubbock MHMR CEO Cathy Pope have worked closely together for many years and it is their relationship and commitment to the public safety of our community that made this agreement possible.

Our most heart-felt gratitude goes to Chief Holton and Assistant Chief Esparza, as well as to the entire Lubbock Police Department. Thank you all for being such STARS!

Accepting the Star Award for the City of Lubbock Police Department was Assistant Chief Thomas Esparza.