I am in a GOP Primary race running for the opportunity to face the current Sheriff in the General Election in November of 2012.  My opposition has made his announcement in the local paper with his intentions to run for Sheriff.  I have known this individual for many years through law enforcement.  He served his law enforcement career with the Corpus Christi Police Department in the Patrol Division.  He specialized his training in one area, handling bombs.  To be honest – if we have a bomb threat in our County – my opposition would be the first one that I would call.  The problem is that he is one dimensional and has no outside law enforcement experience except for his many years as patrol officer in the Patrol Division for a Police Department.  He is currently retired and is a voluntary Reserve Officer (a non-paid position) for the Port Of Corpus Christi.

This is a far cry from making my opposition qualified as a Sheriff for the following reasons:

•  My opposition is one dimensional and has no outside experience from the Patrol Division of a Police Department.

In my 20 plus years as an officer, I was privileged to work with some of the finest people in law enforcement across our Nation.  I have been a Patrol Officer for two Police Departments, Patrol Officer for Sheriff Departments in three different Counties, Captain of Patrol Division (Nueces Sheriff Office), SWAT (Nueces Sheriff Office), Captain of Narcotics Division (Nueces Sheriff Office), DEA Task Force, Narcotics Agent (Nueces Sheriff Office/DEA), Major of Field Operations (Nueces Sheriff Office), and Chief of Operations (Nueces Sheriff Office)

• My opposition has no experience in the operation of a jail.

While working for the Nueces County Sheriff’s Department I was responsible for overseeing the daily operation of the 800 bed Jail, including setting operational procedures, Budgets, Administration and Jail personnel.  I was responsible for the implementation of new programs to help reduce the daily cost of running the Jail, which in turn saved Taxpayer funds.  Our approximate Jail budget was 8.5 million dollars of which I returned nearly $500,000 back to the County as a result of the new programs that I implemented.  I was responsible for maintaining the jail standards to meet both State and Federal requirements.  This allowed the Jail to house both State and Federal Prisoners which resulted in revenue being paid directly to the County of the Nueces through the Sheriffs Department.   Nueces County Jail has never failed the annual Jail Standards Inspection at both the State and Federal level while I was in command of the Jail.

• My opposition has no experience in civil matters as it relates to the Courts or how to handle court ordered “Writs, subpoena’s and citations”.

The Sheriff’s Department is both the civil and enforcement arm of our Court System.  It is the responsibility of the Sheriff to know the civil laws and time requirements as they relate to court orders.  If the proper procedures are not adhered to, the County can be held financially liable.  That means that the Tax-payer pays the bill.  As Chief of Operations for Nueces County Sheriff’s Department, I was responsible for the Civil and Warrants Division.

• My opponent has never handled seizures, forfeitures, confiscations or Sheriff Department asset management/auctions. 

There are civil processes that must be followed and a Sheriff must know.   I have supervised and managed the entire operation, custody and control of seizures, confiscations as well as asset management and asset auctions for Nueces County

• My Opponent has no experience in the investigation or handling of drug/narcotics cases.

I have worked as a Narcotics Agent for two Sheriff’s Departments, worked with a DEA Task Force, Worked Drug Cases all over the State of Texas as well as the United States with the DEA, Captain of Narcotics Division of Nueces County Sheriff’s Department, Named Texas Narcotics Officer of the Year, Director of Texas Narcotics Association – South Texas Region.     

• My Opponent has no command, supervisory or leadership experience in Law enforcement.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAGE IS TO IDENTIFY CORE ISSUES THAT FACE OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MY OPPOSITION AND MYSELF AS IT RELATES TO THESE ISSUES

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DURING A RECENT COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING, THE DISCUSSION WAS CENTERED ON HOW TO HANDLE THE INCREASE IN THE PROSTITUTION PROBLEM IN THE COUNTY.  MY OPPONENT ADDRESSED THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND OFFERED A SOLUTION:  "FORCE THE PROSTITUTES TO TAKE MEDICAL EXAMS".  APPARENTLY, IN MY OPPONENT'S JUDGEMENT, PROSTITUTION IS OK AS LONG AS THE PROSTITUTES ARE DESEASE FREE..................