Mark Mills (right) receives his 2012 Officer of the Year award from Pasadena ISD Police Chief Stewart Russell.

  Mark Mills, a six-year veteran of the Pasadena ISD Police Department, was honored as officer of the year on Friday as the department observed National Police Week at the Administration Building.
  A reception was held in Mills' honor in conjunction with the nationwide observance. The event also included a swearing-in ceremony for Joe Barrera, who served on the force from 1997 to 2008 before spending four years with other law enforcement agencies.
  A letter of commendation was also presented to Tamara McDaniel, a department dispatcher, for her assistance in coordinating the department's response to a break-in and shooting incident at Miller Intermediate earlier this month.

Police dispatcher Tamara McDaniel is congratulated by Sgt. Mario Saldivar after the reading of her letter of commendation.