A sign designating a portion of I-635 for slain police officer Richard Houston are installed in Mesquite.
A portion of Interstate 635 in Mesquite has been named for an officer killed in the line of duty two years ago.
The Officer Richard Houston II Memorial Highway stretches from LaPrada Drive to Cartwright Road/Bruton Road.
Houston was fatally wounded in a shootout that stemmed from a domestic disturbance outside a grocery store parking lot on Dec. 3, 2021.
Signage designating the highway being named in Houston's honor was installed just in time for the second anniversary of the officer's death.
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“Everyone passing through the City of Mesquite will see these signs and know about Officer Houston’s sacrifice,” said Mesquite Police Association (MPA) Charities President Officer Bruce Sales. “Our goal all along has been to have the signage installed by the second-anniversary date of his end of watch. We appreciate the way the community showed their support for Officer Houston’s legacy and service.”
The signage was manufactured and installed by the Texas Department of Transportation, but the $40,000 to pay for the markers was raised through community events organized with Mesquite Police Association Charities.
"One of the association’s efforts to raise money was 821 Day, an initiative that took place on Aug. 21. 821 Day was named after Officer Houston’s badge number and involved participating area restaurants donating a portion of their proceeds from that day toward the highway signage," organizers said.
Houston was a 20-year veteran of the Mesquite Police Department.
