Three years after his tragic end in the line of duty, the Mesquite Police Department remembers Officer Richard Houston for his service and the ultimate sacrifice he made. On December 3, 2021, responding to a disturbance call on the 1500 block of S. Belt Line Rd., Officer Houston was fatally injured. His wife and three children survive him. A social media post by the Mesquite Police Department recounts the honorifics bestowed upon him. He was awarded the Medal of Honor and Police Cross for his courage and extraordinary heroism and the Star of Texas Award by Governor Greg Abbott.
In homage to his memory, a section of Highway 635 through Mesquite has been renamed the Officer Richard Houston II Memorial Highway. The Mesquite Police Department's post further adds, "Trying to find words for moments like these always seem to fall short. We are proud that we were able to walk beside you, stand shoulder to shoulder with you, and to have been lucky enough to know you."
