ACR 3, as amended, Logue. The CHP Officer Robert James Quirk Memorial Highway.
This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 5, in the County of Tehama, as the California Highway Patrol Officer Robert James Quirk Memorial Highway. The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost for appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.
Fiscal committee: yes.
P1 1WHEREAS, California Highway Patrol Officer Robert James
2Quirk was born on January 24, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois, and was
3the beloved and youngest child of Michael Quirk and Anna Lahic;
4and
5WHEREAS, Officer Quirk enlisted in the United States Navy
6in January 1942 and completed Naval Aviator Training; and
7WHEREAS, Officer Quirk was commissioned as a Lieutenant
8Junior Grade and saw action on the Philippine Islands while serving
P2 1as a squadron commander of B-24 bombers and flew multiple
2bombing raids during the battle of Kwajalein; and
3WHEREAS, Officer Quirk was recognized for his many
4achievements and, in 1947, was honorably discharged from the
5Navy; and
6WHEREAS, In 1951, Officer Quirk moved to San Diego,
7California, and began working at Consolidated Aircraft Company;
8and
9WHEREAS, In 1954, Officer Quirk was hired by the CHP and
10assigned to the Compton CHP Office where he worked from 1955
11until 1963; and
12WHEREAS, In 1963, Officer Quirk was transferred to the Red
13Bluff CHP Office where he served until his untimely death in 1971;
14and
15WHEREAS, On April 11, 1971, after being involved in a foot
16pursuit, during which time he singlehandedly caught three suspects,
17Officer Quirk suffered a fatal heart attack; and
18WHEREAS, Officer Quirk’s death was a direct result of his
19honorable service to the people of the State of California, but was
20not recognized as such for over 40 years; and
21WHEREAS, Officer Quirk left a wife, Patricia, and five children,
22Michael, Sheila, Dan, Phil, and Ken, to cherish his memory and
23celebrate his legacy; and
24WHEREAS, Following in his father’s footsteps is his son,
25Sergeant Ken Quirk of the Storey County Nevada Sheriff’s
26Department, who demonstrates the highest standards of law
27enforcement while carrying his father’s handcuffs and wearing his
28father’s brass belt buckle; and
29WHEREAS, In honor of Officer Quirk’s service and sacrifice,
30it would be a fitting tribute to designate a portion of State Highway
31Route 5, in the County of Tehama, as the California Highway
32Patrol Officer Robert James Quirk Memorial Highway; now,
33therefore, be it
34Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
35thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates a
36portion of State Highway Route 5, from thebegin delete Snively Roadend deletebegin insert Sunset
37Hills Driveend insert overcrossing at milepost 38.716 to the Nine Mile Hill
38overcrossing at milepost 36.371, in the County of Tehama, as the
39California Highway Patrol Officer Robert James Quirk Memorial
40Highway; and be it further
P3 1Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
2to determine the cost of erecting the appropriate signs, consistent
3with the signing requirements for the state highway system,
4showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations
5from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs; and
6be it further
7Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
8of this resolution to the Department of Transportation and to the
9author for appropriate distribution.
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