Austin Officer To Be Honored For Good Works

AUSTIN, TX — An Austin Police Department lieutenant is set to receive a community service citation for his work in helping safeguard the city's residents, officials said on Thursday.

Lt. Kenneth Hubbs currently works in north central Austin, officials said, but his service to the community goes well beyond those boundaries. As a result, he will be receiving the Community Service Citation for his service to improve the lives of others.

For the past four years, Hubbs and his family have purchased food and clothing while assisting in the preparation of “Bags of Grace,” a charitable effort marked during which bags are distributed to the homeless and people in need throughout Austin by various volunteer and church organizations.

The Hubbs' generosity doesn't stop there, however. Hubbs and his family also purchased and put together winter clothing for people in need over the last several winters. During the summer of 2018, they purchased and distributed water, food and baby wipes and put together hundreds of care packages for people experiencing homelessness in Austin.

According to a press advisory, Hubbs filled the back seat of his patrol car and passed them out when he came across someone in need, only asking that they dispose of their trash upon using up the care package. From 2016 to 2017, Lieutenant Hubbs donated time and materials to help remodel a food pantry in Georgetown, Texas. The site serves families who are in need of food, clothing or other belongings.

Also in 2017, Hubbs came across a woman panhandling in North Austin before learning she struggled with mobility issues as her husband had recently been laid off from his job. The two, Hubbs learned, were sleeping on the hard tile floor of their apartment. Hubbs sprang into action by driving to a nearby store where he purchased an inflatable mattress on which the man and woman could rest more comfortably.

The officer's compassion extended far beyond Austin's borders to the tiny island of Barbuda in the eastern Caribbean. In September 2017, he traveled there with a group to assist with international aid relief. The group helped with water restoration efforts while providing food and shelter for those on the island. Hubbs also helped worked with a team to rebuild three homes that had been destroyed by a hurricane during his visit, officials noted.

For his good works, Hubbs will be honored at this year's Austin Police Department gala. The 2019 Stars of Distinction Awards Gala is scheduled on Nov. 16 at the Hilton Austin Downtown located at 500 E. 4th St.