San Angelo Crime Scene Investigation Supervisor Retires After 20 Years

A career of late-night phone calls, evidence gathering and court testimonies came to a close on Wednesday morning, when San Angelo Police Department CSI Supervisor Rosalind Payne retired from the department after over 20 years of service.

Officers—both past and present—city and county employees, and family and friends gathered in the Chief’s conference room to wish Payne well, many of whom had worked with Payne for the duration of her career.

“We’re going to have to hire two to replace her,” Lt. Mike Hernandez said, citing her level of expertise and long years of experience. Hernandez has known Payne since her hire in March of 1994.

“Whoever replaces her has got some big shoes to fill,” Officer Brian Bylsma agreed.

Payne started at the PD in the records department, where she worked for a year. On her one-year anniversary she moved to the I.D. Division, where she worked as a photo technician processing rolls of film.

In 2002 she became a crime scene technician, and by 2006 was promoted to the head of the department.

“There’s been numerous organizations and law enforcement agencies throughout our area and the Concho Valley that have written commendations on her for her involvement in certain cases,” Police Chief Tim Vasquez said. “Our organization has been very, very blessed to have her with us.”

Chief Vasquez, detectives and officers all spoke positively of Payne on Wednesday, many citing her hard work, dedication, reliability and good mood as characteristics that will be missed around the station.

“There’s probably no one that doesn’t like her,” Sergeant Matt Baldwin said. “The department is definitely losing an asset. She is extremely confident, she’s very responsible, she would drop anything to help you with any request you made, she’s extremely knowledgeable, she’s cordial, she’s a great supervisor and she has a wonderful work ethic. She is a wonderful person.”

As per the demands of the job, Payne has had to miss some special family moments over the years, including birthdays and other events. ‘They were raised knowing Nanna can’t be there,’ she said of her grandchildren Wednesday. Even on her wedding day Payne was called out to a crime scene, pulling in five hours of overtime at 3:00 a.m. before her 7:00 p.m. wedding.

“He knew when he married me what he was getting into,” she said of her husband. Now, she’s looking forward on spending time with her family and making up for those missed moments. “My husband has been retired for 10 ½ years, just waiting on me to retire.”

In retirement Payne plans to buy a photography business and do a bit of that on occasion, as well as teaching at the academy. She says she’ll miss her police family, but doesn’t intend to break contact.

“When you work this closely with people you form a special bond and I have that bond with a lot of these guys,” she said. “I’m going to miss them, but I’m still going to stay in touch with them.”

Payne says the experience she’s had with the San Angelo Police Department isn’t one she would trade for the world, and over her career, she intends to take the experience with her, never to forget.

“She’s just a great person,” Lt. David Howard said. “She has seen things that a lot of people never will see and don’t want to see and through it all she’s a very good employee. She’s very good at what she does and she’s going to be sorely missed. She’s so dedicated and hard working. “

Master Police Officer 3 & K-9 Handler Howard Miller also retired after 32 years and 3 months on the job. Officer Miller was hired on Sept. 16, 1980 as a Police Department Dispatcher.He then became a Police Officer on Oct. 1, 1981 and then promoted to Master Police Officer on Oct. 16, 1987.

Miller was then re-assigned to the K-9 Division in September of 1994 where he remained the remainder of his career. He had a total of 2,339 hours of TCOLE (Texas Commission of Law Enforcement) training while with the San Angelo Police Department.

Officer Miller opted out of retirement ceremony proceedings.