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Bio

Commissioner Mike Cantrell is a graduate of the Dallas County Sheriff's Academy, and received his Basic and Intermediate Certificates in Law Enforcement. He served as a police officer for the Dallas County Community College District from 1976 to 1979 while attending Eastfield Community College, where he was a member of Phi Theta Kappa & Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Abilene Christian University at Dallas, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree at Southern Methodist University's School of Law.

Commissioner Cantrell opened a private law practice and in 1983 was appointed by the Garland City Council to the position of Municipal Judge for the City of Garland. He served in that capacity for two and one-half years, and in 1986 was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 (Garland area). He was elected to a second four-year term in 1990, and served a total of eight years. In 1994 Commissioner Cantrell was elected as the Dallas County Commissioner for District 2, which has a population of over 500,000 and encompasses the cities of Mesquite, Garland, Rowlett, Sachse, and Sunnyvale, and the Lakewood, Lake Highlands, and White Rock areas of Dallas. He was re-elected to a third term in November of 2002.

While in office, Commissioner Cantrell has been active in a number of initiatives, including drug courts, law enforcement, domestic violence, child abuse, and juvenile issues, including truancy. He has led several collaborative initiatives including the Juvenile Information System (JIS), the Truancy Information System (TIS), the Child Welfare Information System(CWIS), the Adult Information System (AIS), and the Dallas County Specialized Truancy Courts Project. All initiatives seek creative and collaborative solutions and encourage intergovernmental cooperation, innovation, and more efficient use of resources.

Commissioner Cantrell was instrumental in the formation of the Protective Order Rapid Response Team and the Truancy Intervention High Impact Teams, and served on the DIVERT Drug Court Advisory Committee. He also chaired the Dallas County Community Plan from its inception in 1995 to 2002.

Commissioner Cantrell currently serves on the State Judicial Committee on Information Technology as an appointee of Texas Supreme Court Justice. Commissioner Cantrell also serves on the North Central Texas Council of Government's Executive Board and was President of the Board from 2001-2002. He served from 1998 - 2003 as an appointee of former Governor George W. Bush on the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission. Commissioner Cantrell also chairs the Dallas County Information Technology Steering Committe.

Commissioner Cantrell and his wife Lorrie have one daughter and attend Calvary Baptist Church in Garland, where he is a Deacon and Past Chair of the Personnel Committee. They are also active in many other community organizations.

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Boards & Committees

Present

• State Judicial Committee on Information Technology Municipal & Justice Court Technology Subcommittee (Appointee of Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips)
• Texas Conference of Urban Counties Common Integrated Justice System Project Oversight Board (Chair)
• Texas Technology Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board
• 2006 Best of Texas Advisory Board, Center for Digital Government
• Texas Conference of Urban Counties Board of Directors (Vice-Chair, Member Services)
• Texas Conference of Urban Counties Policy Committee
• North Central Texas Council of Governments Executive Board (Member of the Board / Past President 2001-2002)
• Dallas County Information Technology Steering Committee (Chair)
• Dallas County Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition (Chair)
• Dallas County Adult Information System (AIS) Executive Committee (Chair)
• Dallas County Adult Intergrated Criminal Justice System User Committee (Chair)
• Dallas County Juvenile Board (Alternate)
• Public Employees Benefit Cooperative Board
• Dallas County Commissioners Court/Hospital District Liaison Committee
• Dallas County Adult and Juvenile Detention Health Services Advisory Committee
• Dallas County Tax Collection Selection Committee
• Dallas County Housing Board of Directors
• Dallas County Housing Finance Corporation
• Dallas County Domestic Violence Task Force
• East Branch Committee
• East Corridor Committee
• Employee Benefits Committee
• Public Defender Program Review
• Tex Protects Advisory Committee
• Wednesday's Child Advisory Committee

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Past Boards & Committees

• Texas Juvenile Probation Commission (appointed by former Governor George W. Bush)
• Texas State Attorney General County Advisory Workgroup (Appointee of the Attorney General Greg Abbott)
• Chairman, Target: Kids In Court
• Chairman, Dallas County Community Plan
• Chairman, Dallas County Protective Order Rapid Response Team
• Chairman, Dallas County Justice of the Peace Jury Services Task Force
• Chairman, Alliance of Underage Drinking (ALOUD)
• Co-Chair, LBJ Major Investment Study Executive Committee
• Co-Chair, Dallas Bar Association Juvenile Justice Committee
• Project Access Community Steering Committee
• Presiding Judge, Garland Teen Court
• Secretary & Board Member, Dallas Central Appraisal District
• Dallas County Specialized Truancy Courts Task Force
• Dallas County Purchasing Agent Appointment Committee
• Dallas County Civil Service Commission
• Dallas County DIVERT Steering Committee
• Dallas County Mental Health Task Force
• Dallas County Governance Committee
• Dallas County Public Health Advisory Committee (Chair)
• City of Garland Electrical Examiners & Appeals Board
• City of Garland Housing Standards Board
• The Galaxy Center Board (Garland)
• Meadowview School Board (Mesquite)
• Texas Commerce Bank Advisory Board

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Organizations Past & Present

• Garland Bar Association (past President)
• Garland Chamber of Commerce
• Garland Crime Stoppers
• Garland Rotary Club (past President)
• Greater Garland Republican Organization (past President)
• Mesquite Chamber of Commerce
• Rowlett Chamber of Commerce
• Rowlett Crime Stoppers
• Sachse Chamber of Commerce
• North Dallas Chamber of Commerce
• Dallas Northeast Chamber of Commerce
• Dallas Bar Association
• Dallas County Young Republicans
• Texas State Bar Association
• County Judges & Commissioners Association
• Boy Scouts of America (former District Chairman)
• Dallas County Constable & Justice of the Peace Association (past President)
• YMCA of Dallas Metropolitan Area, Garland Branch (former Chairman)

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Accomplishments

• Ran and was elected for two terms (4 years each) as Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Dallas County
• Ran and was elected for three terms (4 years each) as Commissioner, District 2, Dallas County
• Co-Chairman, Dole/Kemp Presidential Campaign for Dallas County
• Past President, Greater Garland Republican Organization
• Regional Chairman over 21 precincts for the Dallas County Republican Party
• Republican delegate to the Senatorial and State conventions
• Republican Party Committee for Precinct Organization & Precinct Chairman Training
• Active participant in numerous Republican candidate campaigns

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Awards/Recognition

• 2005 Best of Texas Visionary Award for Leadership, presented by the Center for Digital Government in recognition of visionary and sustained leadership for government made more accessible, more efficient, more open and more accountable through the use of technology
• Prism Award 2000, presented by the Mental Health Association of Greater Dallas, in special recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to the local mental health community
• Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, 1998, presented by the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers, in recognition of distinguished service to children and youth
• Distinguished Human Service Professional Team of the Year, 1996, presented by the Community Council of Greater Dallas in recognition of the establishment of the Protective Order Rapid Response Team (PORRT)
• Community Builder Award 1992-1993, presented by Garland Masonic Lodge #441, for commitment to the youth of Garland and involvement in the community
• Committee Chairman of the Year 1991, presented by the Garland Chamber of Commerce for service as Chairman of the Legislative Committee
• Paul Harris Fellow, presented by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, "in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world
• Community Service Award, presented by Tough Love
• Extra Mile Award, presented by the Garland Apartment Managers Association
• Recognition Award, from the Garland Independent School District for commitment to the youth of GISD, shown by instituting innovative programs designed to interrupt the known causes of student truancy

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