Grapeland Officers Receive Promotions

By Sarah Naron

Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – Corporal Tyler Moore and Officer Carly Tullis, both of the Grapeland Police Department, received promotions during the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Grapeland City Council held Tuesday, March 13.

A motion was made, seconded and unanimously carried by the members of the council to promote Corporal Moore to interim police chief. A second motion was made, seconded and carried to promote Moore to the rank of lieutenant. Officer Tullis was promoted to corporal following another unanimous decision by the council.

Although not present for the meeting, Grapeland PD’s four-legged officer also received a promotion.

“As you all know, Carly is our canine handler,” pointed out Interim Police Chief Lt. Ronnie Howell. “Her dog, Roxy, has to outrank its handler, so canine Roxy is being promoted to sergeant.”

Grapeland Police Department Officer and Canine Handler Carly Tullis was promoted to corporal at the March 13 Grapeland City Council meeting. While not present at the meeting, her dog, Roxy, received a promotion to sergeant. Photo by Sarah Naron /Messenger.

The resignation of Lt. Howell was also unanimously approved by the members of the council.

“He wants to go back to college, and in order to do that, he’s going to need days, and he’s going to need time to fulfill his classes,” explained Grapeland Mayor Balis E. Dailey. “He wants to return to the position of a patrolman in order to accomplish his long-range goals.”

Howell will remain part of the Grapeland police force on a part-time basis, assisting as a patrol officer as his schedule allows.

“We’re very proud of you,” Dailey told Howell on behalf of the council.

Lt. Howell will begin classes Monday, March 19.

In his monthly report, Howell informed the council that a total of 81 calls were responded to by the Grapeland PD throughout the month of February.

“Burglaries are down, disturbances are up,” he reported.

A total of 15 citations and 20 warnings were issued by officers with the Grapeland PD during the month. Checks were made on 82 businesses, and one arrest was made, bringing the department’s total activities to 199.

“We’ve stopped 78 vehicles for year-to-date,” Lt. Howell explained during the racial profiling portion of his report. “Fifteen African-Americans, one Asian, 58 Caucasians, three Hispanics, one Middle Easterner and zero Native Americans.”

Other items discussed by the council during the meeting included the possibility of waiving park fees for the annual “Church in the Park” event hosted by First United Methodist Church and vacating the permit fees associated with the new Grapeland Elementary School building. Motions were made, seconded and unanimously carried to approve the items.

Sarah Naron may be reached via email at [email protected].

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