The Police Chief who never sleeps

Newly re-elected mayor, councilwoman takes oath

Law Enforcement agencies urging caution on Falcon Lake

Student's art to be featured on Heinz Ketchup bottles

Lawmakers call for crackdown on sales of guns, ammo for cartels

Mission sees nine percent increase in sale tax revenue

County Fire Marshal Team welcomes new members

Sharyland Board members take oath

AA authorizes operations along border

MCISD announces Summer Seamless meals program

TxDOT 'Click It or Ticket' Campaign highlights new laws

The Police Chief Who Never Sleeps

By Mary Nichols

As the Mission sleeps, one person does not. Tucked under Police Chief Leo Longoria’s pillow is a semi-muffled portable police radio receiver. While his family rests, he listens to police traffic throughout the city. The sounds over the radio help him keep tabs on the criminal activity in Mission.

For 25 years, Longoria has worked in law enforcement and 11 of those years he has served as Mission’s chief of police. Monitoring the city in his sleep is just one of the many attributes that shows his dedication to his job and the community.

“I feel obligated to want to help, please and comfort everybody. It’s quite personal. With all the limitations and means we have out there, it’s an endless cycle for me,” said Longoria. “I feel so honored to… be entrusted with the responsibility. It comes with a lot of hardships, headaches and lack of sleep. It wears you down sometimes to see so much hurt and pain.”

Longoria was raised in McAllen by hardworking parents. His father, Leo Longoria, was a T.V. repairman and his mother, Beatriz, worked in the school district. Both are retired today.

The chief said his parents would try their best to make sure he had the opportunity to excel at everything, including being a Cub Scout when he was younger, something his parents sacrificed for financially to make it come true.

“I loved the scouts. The one thing I wanted to be was an Eagle Scout. I just thought Eagle Scouts were amazing and an awesome group of people,” said Longoria.

After graduating from McAllen High School, he joined the Marines, which he served for four years, including two years in active reserve. While in the military, his colonel encouraged him to join law enforcement.

“What is ironic is that when I was very small I use to be scared of the police sirens,” said Longoria. “Any time the sirens went off, my mother would come out looking for me because she knew I would be scared.”

Returning from the Marines, he became a patrolman and deputy sheriff at the Alamo Police Department. He then transferred to Mission where he was also a patrol officer, a traffic investigator, a sergeant, lieutenant, and an assistant chief. Then, in 1996 he became chief of police.

Longoria is also a member of the American Legion in Mission and an active member of the Texas State Guard. Helping others has always been a gratifying experience for him.

“For me it’s not about how many times I can fill up the cells with people. If those cells are constantly filling up with people then we’re doing something wrong,” he said. “Reaching out to the people is my goal, not stats or figures. Seeing the results and achieving an objective that is going to help somebody is what makes my job worth it.”

The chief does not like attention drawn to him. He is a humble man whose main focus is his family, work and his employees. However, a more relaxed side of him showed while discussing the dangers of being out the field with Assistant Police Chiefs Robert Dominguez and Martin Garza.

“We’ve been through many incidents together,” said Garza who has known the chief for 18 years.

Both the chief and Garza look at each other with smiles of scary memories, but glad they are still here to share them.

The chief asked Garza, “Were you with me when I chased a guy down an alley and he pulled a gun and I fell to the ground?”

Dominguez chimed in from his office and yells, “You didn’t fall, you dove into the ground,” he said chuckling. “You didn’t have a gun, and the guy pulled one and you ate dirt in a back alley.”

All three men shared a laugh, showing their very close comradeship and concern for each other.

“I don’t know why I was chasing him without a gun, but he pointed it at me and I ate dirt,” said the chief, correcting his story.

What made this incident unique was that Longoria was not a patrol officer when it happened. He was the chief of police. Dominguez and Garza said this is not the first time the chief put himself in the face of danger, out of dedication to the job.

“I don’t think you will find a chief that will do that for miles around, but that’s how he is. You won’t find another chief like him, very involved with his people, the officers and community,” said Dominguez. “I guarantee no chief in the Valley is out at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. pounding on doors looking for bad guys. He really cares about the city. I think many people don’t know how dedicated he really is.”
Garza said the chief will show up at incidents after hours because he likes to get involved and have his presence known to the officers and the public.

“One time I arrived to a scene and he was already there responding to the call. His family was waiting in the car eating Dairy Queen Blizzards,” said Martin laughing. “That says a lot about what a great man he is. He’s a family person, but he also has a great commitment to the city. That’s something that has always stayed with me.”

When the chief isn’t listening to his police radio, he spends all the time he can with his family. His family, he said, is the most important thing in his life and comes before work or anything else.

“If I can’t do anything with my family, I would rather not do it. Most people go out and say ‘I’m going to go play golf.’ If the whole family can’t go with me then I don’t see the point,” said Longoria. “I want to share the laughs and special moments with the people that are important to me in my life. As long as I’m with my family I find it comforting and a way to break away from work.”

Chief Longoria has been married for 11 years to his wife, Olga, and they have five children. Olga and the chief are also both independent insurance agents and once owned a trophies and awards business.

“He loves the kids, spending time with the family and helping the community. If he’s not at work, he’s here with the family,” said Olga. “I always tell him that I admire him because of what he has to deal with at work, then still manages to come home with a smile and ready to tackle the kids for whatever they may need. He’s the love of the family.”

The chief also relaxes from the stress of work by attending church. He says his new-found relationship with God has helped him stay committed to his family and work.

“I think Mission is very blessed to have a chief such as my husband. I don’t think they would find a nicer, more hardworking man, whose mission is to protect the community,” said Olga. “There’s nothing he would rather be doing. It’s all about helping people for him.”

Dominguez said he feels lucky to have been able to work with a man like Longoria. He has known the chief for 23 years and can remember the exact day he met the chief, on April 6, 1987. They were both patrol officers and Longoria took him on a tour of the City of Mission and to show him the ropes.

“From the first moment I met him he had that charisma about him, the want to help people and those that he works with. As far as police officers are concerned he has always been concerned about them and their families,” said Dominguez. “He has always told them their families come first. Whatever they need, they can come to him and he will take care of the officers and their loved ones.”
Dominguez said the chief also instills in his young cadets the importance of trying to help people, not focusing on just trying to give tickets or make arrests. He wants his officers to understand the situation thoroughly because it’s ultimately about helping the people and not getting stats for the books.

Garza agreed with Dominguez on the chief’s honorable principals.

“He’s led by example by being a family man and showing family comes first. He believes that everyone in our department should focus on being themselves,” said Garza. “He wants us to be human beings first before a police officer, and once you do that everything comes into place. You become a great officer and understand people and what they need.”

The chief himself has learned many lessons during his years of law enforcement. He has learned that it doesn’t matter if a person is considered to be bad or committed a criminal act; he should still be treated with respect and compassion.

“I have learned that I really care and love people. I admire the underdog, the people who are struggling. The easy thing is to get rid of people and give up on people. The real work is molding them and shaping them,” said Longoria. “I can always look at a person and forget about them. The hard part is making them a part of the community and I accept that challenge.”

Longoria’s job has left some memories forever imprinted in his mind, many of which are too hard for him to share. However, one special moment he is very fond of is when he helped an 11-year-old child’s dream come true.

“Four years ago, a young boy from the Make-a-Wish Foundation wanted to be a police officer. He came to visit me and I made him an honorary police officer,” said the chief. “He passed away shortly thereafter. To me that was one of the greatest moments I had as chief.”

Longoria is happy with how the police department has been able to withstand and grow with the city. He said he is looking forward to the new police station and eventually retiring.

“I’m very happy with the low crime rate we have been able to maintain. We hope to move into the new station and expand our networks with other cities,” he said. “After that, I hope I can enjoy the rest of my life with my family and enjoy retirement.”

Longoria said the first thing he hopes to do during his retirement is to return to Washington, D.C.

A summer back, the chief said, he and his wife were in their kitchen and spontaneously thought, “Let’s just go somewhere.” Quickly they woke their children, packed their vehicle and drove through the night to an unknown destination.

“We ended up driving to Washington, D.C. It was such a rushed tour,” said the chief laughing. “I was constantly on the phone with the department and city, while taking quick snap shots of the capital.”

They ended up returning home, as fast as they had gone.

“We are always discussing a return trip to Washington, D.C. but to take our time. It was so rushed. I think we saw Washington in four hours, when it takes others a whole week,” said Olga chuckling. “We did it for the kids and just to get away, even if it was for a quick moment. But we hope to return soon.”

No matter where the chief may travel, his heart is with the City of Mission.

“I think we are the leader of the Valley. It’s a beautiful place to live in, raise a family and go to our schools,” he said. “We’re not one of the largest cities, but one of the most innovative and progressive communities. Our city is very personal and united.”

Longoria looks forward to continuing to serve the Mission and helping protect her residents.

“I never imagined I would be entrusted with such a big responsibility, like be the chief of police,” said Longoria. “I’m blessed with hard working people that help me carry out the objectives for the city’s protection everyday.”

So, late at night while you and your family are fast asleep, sleep knowing that somewhere in Mission, Longoria is listening to his radio receiver tucked under his pillow. He is watching over the city he loves, even in his sleep.

Newly re-elected mayor, councilwoman take oath of office

By Kathy Olivarez

Mayor Beto Salinas and Councilwomen Maria Elena Ramirez and Norie Garza were returned to office during the May 8 election. Salinas and Ramirez were sworn into their new terms at a special council meeting held Monday, May 17.

First elected in 1998, Salinas was sworn into office for his fifth term as mayor by Judge Horacio Pena.

Ramirez was elected to the council last year to complete her late husband’s unexpired term and re-elected May 8 to serve her first full term in office. She was sworn into office by her children, Celestino Ramirez Jr., Anita R. Rivera, Sylvia R. Flores and Hector Ramirez.
Councilwoman Norie Garza, who was just elected to her second term, was not present.

The election votes were officially canvassed showing that Salinas had a total of 3,524 votes in a landslide election, winning 58.4 percent of the vote against two opponents. His opponents for mayor were Baldemar Flores and Armando O’Cana, who received 777 votes or 12.9 percent of the vote and 1,734 votes or 28.7 percent, respectively.

Ramirez received 2,902 votes or 51.3 percent of the votes cast. She was opposed by Jessica Ortega-Ochoa and Edwardo Gutierrez, who received 2,329 votes and 422 votes, respectively.

Garza ran unopposed and received 4,495 votes.

The hotly-contested Proposition 1, which proposed giving the firefighters’ union the right to collective bargaining was defeated with 61 percent of voters opposing the measure. A total of 3,334 votes were cast against Proposition 1, with 2,116 for the proposition.

Other Council Action

In other action, the council approved Institution of Annexation for a tract of land consisting of 459.11 acres including the eastern 300 feet of lots one, two, three and four and the eastern 300 feet of the south 655 feet of lot five, Crane Subdivision; lots seven, eight, nine and 10 of Mission Farm Estates; and 246.8 acres of the U.S. Fish &Wildlife property being immediately south of lots nine and 10, Mission Farm Estates, all the way south to the Rio Grande.

The land is predominately vacant and undeveloped, although parts of a cemetery and some residential use are included.

The annexation ordinance is set to be adopted on May 26.

Final plat approval, including a plat extension, were granted to Sanabria Subdivision, being created from lots one and two Sparks and Townsend Plaza. The single-family residential subdivision will have 18 lots. It will be located to the southwest of FM 495 and Taylor Road.

The council approved change order three for the 2010 street overlay project. Additional streets and replacement of valley gutters will add an additional $43,794.16 to the cost of the project.

Changes include the Sauz Street and Laredo Street and Sauz Street and Matamoros Street intersections having the current 18-inch valley gutter replaced with a 72-inch valley gutter. Other changes include overlay of Boot Drive between Chuck Wagon Street to Covered Wagon Street, Nicholson Avenue between Leal Street to Expressway 83 and Fairway Drive from Mayberry to Fairway Circle.
The Monday, May 24, regular council meeting has been changed to Wednesday, May 26, as Mayor Salinas and City Manager Julio Cerda will be out of town on city business.