Bohac Receives “Best of the House” Award by Law Enforcement Group

HOUSTON–On January 20th State Representative Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) received the prestigious “Best of the House” award by the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT) at the Houston Police Department’s local storefront in the Oak Forest community. The award was presented to only ten of the 150 members of the Texas House for their dedication to supporting and fighting for legislation that will ultimately reduce crime and protect local law enforcement in the line of duty.

CLEAT is Texas’ largest police officers union, serves nearly 15,000 police officers across the state and works to provide the resources police officers need to continue keeping Texas safe.

“I am honored to be recognized by an organization who works tirelessly to help law enforcement protect our neighborhoods and communities,” said Bohac. “Creating proactive ways to reduce crime and improve the lives of every law abiding citizen has been a passion of mine. I know first hand the pain of crime victims here in Houston and across the State, and I will continue working to provide law enforcement the tools they need to go after these criminals.” Bohac and his family have been victims of three attempted break-ins to their home and the theft of their car from the driveway of their home.

Bohac has made reducing crime through common sense policy a top policy priority and has worked with CLEAT through the years to pass several important measures.

Bohac carried two pieces of legislation cited on CLEAT’s legislative agenda during the most recent Legislative Session, both of which recently became law. House Bills 1720 and 1721 are designed to deter any political manipulation using public funds and to protect those officers working in correctional facilities, respectively.

“When some local bureaucrats and politicians were caught using taxpayer dollars in unscrupulous ways to defeat citizen initiatives at the ballot box—it was Representative Dwayne Bohac who had the courage to author and pass HB 1720 to fix the problem,” said Charley Wilkison, Director of Public Affairs for CLEAT.

For Bohac, preserving the integrity of elections is vital to protecting the democratic process. House Bill 1720 does just that and passed with unanimous support in both the House and Senate.

House Bill 1721 creates a felony for those who attempt to take a weapon from a correctional officer while in the line of duty. This extends the protection that is afforded to police officers to those who keep dangerous and often violent criminals in secure facilities. House Bill 1721 also passed with unanimous support from both Houses of the legislature.

“When it came to fighting the criminal defense attorneys and other groups who seek to disarm local police officers who protect our families and communities it was Rep. Bohac who stood strong to make sure law enforcement officers had the tools to do their job, said Wilkison.”

“Reducing crime through smart, proactive pieces of legislation that work to stop criminals before they have a chance to commit their crime is a constant challenge,” said Bohac. “Organizations like CLEAT are working everyday to make Texas a better place in which to live, work and raise a family. I am truly honored to work with them to reduce crime across the state.”

In the 2007 Legislative Session, Bohac was recognized by the chiefs of six major cities in Texas, including Houston, Dallas and Austin, for his work to create common sense solutions to criminal justice that supports local law enforcement. His criminal justice highlights include passage of the Graffiti Accountability Act of 2007, the Castle Doctrine, allowing homeowners to use force to protect their homes and businesses, and increased funding for border security operations.