Family, friends and fellow officers attended funeral services Thursday for Richard Houston, a Mesquite police officer who was killed in the line of duty last week.
Houston, a 21-year veteran of the Mesquite Police Department, was shot and killed Friday, Dec. 3, while responding to a disturbance call outside a supermarket. Hundreds attended a vigil for Houston the following Sunday.
At Thursday’s funeral service, Mesquite Police Chief David Gill remembered Houston as a skilled and dedicated officer.
“One thing that always struck me about Richard was, he was an all-in kind of person” Gill said. “He didn't do anything halfway. He was always all the way in.”
Gill says Houston earned several commendations for his work, including a Certificate of Merit from the Garland Police Department. He was also a committed mentor.
“He loved being an operator,” Gill said. “He really loved making sure everybody else was safe and making sure everybody else was as proficient as he could make them.”
Houston is survived by his wife and three children. The Mesquite Police Association is raising moneyfor Houston's family.
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