 | | After 17 years with the Rosenberg Police Department, Carol Rees said her goodbyes during a ceremony Wednesday. From left are: Robert Gracia, police chief; Rees' husband, Richard; Rees; her son, Richard II; her grandson, Seth; and daughter-in-law, Alma. Her last day at work is Thursday. (Staff photo by Russell Autrey)
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| Carol Rees made a promise to herself.
“I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry,” Rees vowed, as she hugged a well-wisher Wednesday in a meeting room at the Rosenberg Police Department.
“She's going to cry,” said a woman standing nearby.
Rees didn't have an easy time making good on her promise, as officials and representatives from the RPD, Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, district attorney's office and other municipalities celebrated her contributions to the police department and community during her retirement reception.
Rees, pubic information officer and victims' rights coordinator for the RPD, is leaving after 17 years as victims' rights coordinator. The past five years, she also served as public information officer. Her last day is Thursday.
Police Chief Robert Gracia said he hopes Rees' replacement can be named in the next week.
Rees, who has worked with crime victims for 28 years, is stepping down because of health reasons.
“If I didn't have bad health, I wouldn't be retiring,” said Rees, who suffered a stroke two years and is living with a now-dormant case of lupus.
“But when you're 68 years old, it's time to retire,” said Rees, who was accompanied Wednesday by family members, including husband Richard and son Richard II, who works for the South Houston Police Department.
Gracia recalled that he met Rees when she was a MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) mother who was working to get drunk drivers off the street. Rees first came to work for the department as a volunteer, he said, which she did for two years.
“She took it and ran with it as a full time employee and has done an outstanding job in serving our victims,” Gracia said. “We are very grateful that she came, and we wish Carol the best of luck.”
Sheriff Milton Wright said he appreciated the work that Rees did with the Association for Retarded Citizens, now known as The Arc of Fort Bend County. Wright said the Best in the West fundraiser last year cleared $350,000 for the organization.
“Part of that credit goes to people like Carol, because when I call the chief and say, ‘Hey, y'all gonna help us out again this year?' And he said, ‘Yeah, we'll help you out' - what he meant was ‘Carol will help you out,'” said Wright, drawing laughs from the crowd.
Rees always came through by accumulating auction items for the event, Wright said.
District Attorney John Healey got to know Rees through her work with MADD, but she also has been a member and leader on the community response team on domestic violence. She has been the chairwoman of that organization for the majority of its existence, he pointed out.
“What folks don't know is that she is a strong, strong advocate to the point of being, I believe, the first volunteer victim assistance liaison in Fort Bend County,” said Healey, “and I believe also definitely the first paid one outside the folks who by statute had to exist through the district attorney's office.”
Jeannie Gage, victims assistance coordinator for the city of Sugar Land, said Rees has made a large impact throughout the county and surrounding area.
“You don't know how much that you have really had an impact on serving victims of this county, and we are going to miss you,” said Gage, who attended the reception along with several crime victim liaison officers for law enforcement agencies.
“It has really evolved from the very beginning,” Rees said, “because 17 years ago, there was no (victims assistance) officer in Fort Bend County, and victim needs were very much overlooked. And thanks to this chief here, he was able to bring me in and we provided numerous services to victims that were previously unavailable.”
Other law enforcement departments have victims assistance divisions now, and Rees has helped train other coordinators.
Rees, who lives in Richmond, said she plans to do charity work in her retirement and hopes to get a job in which she can work 20 hours a week, such as a receptionist. Also, she wants to take some art and yoga lessons. She said she just wants to enjoy life and spend time with husband Richard, who runs a business.
She said she will miss the people and camaraderie of the police department.
“And,” she said, “when something exciting happens, I'll miss that.”
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