How long have you been a constable?
I was first elected in November 2000. I held the Precinct 1 constable position until May 2007. I resigned to work for a Fortune 500 oil and gas company based in Texas and working in the Barnett Shale. I volunteered my time as a reserve deputy with the constable's office. I was fortunate to be reelected in November 2012, again as the Precinct 1 constable.
Before you won election, what kind of work did you do? How did you get interested in running for office?
I’ve been in law enforcement in Johnson County since 1989. I started as a jailer and became a deputy sheriff before becoming constable. I enjoyed working in law enforcement on the county side versus the city or state. It is satisfying to be able to help and assist the public with issues that arise within their communities.
What was the biggest surprise or adjustment after taking office?
The biggest surprise to me were the duties and responsibilities I thought the office performed. I thought a constable's only job was to serve papers. Boy, was I wrong! I took it upon myself to learn as much about a constable's duties as I could and the valuable role they have in their respective counties. This is where I found the Justice of the Peace and Constables Association (JPCA). JPCA was a great resource along with other constables throughout the state.
What are some of the most difficult challenges you have faced and what advice would you give your peers across the state who may face similar challenges?
One challenge I faced in taking office was providing better service to the courts by treating all civil processes as a priority and understanding that the court system needs all parties to a suit to be adequately notified. I also found other elected officials in my county to be a big help. Knowing I had help in all aspects of my office made the difficult challenges a lot more manageable. Advice that helped me was to reach out to the other elected officials to see how my office interacted with their offices and evaluate the process to see if there is a more efficient or effective way of doing things.
Since taking office, what accomplishment are you most proud of?
I have a school resource officer program (SRO) with Cleburne ISD. The SRO program was started in 2002 and has been a great asset to the county and the school district. The SRO deputies focus on truancy-related issues affecting the school district and our community. Helping a student, and often their family, is the most rewarding part of the job. I have had former students work for me, see me in the community years later, and thank me for making them go to school; they graduated high school because of this.
What do you find are the most successful methods for reaching out to the residents of Johnson County to communicate what your office is doing and why?
I find the best way to meet the residents of Johnson County is via social media. My office has had terrific success in tax sales. We have reached out via social media and created an outside email account to push information out to keep our citizens and communities informed.
What do you do when you're not at work? Do you have any hobbies or something unique that you are interested in that may surprise your colleagues?
I have been in the process of obtaining my bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration for the past four years. Obtaining my degree does not seem like a hobby, but I should have done it years ago. I enjoy spending time with my wife of 28 years, my daughters and my grandchildren. We enjoy traveling and the outdoors. My wife and I have been on a game show. We were on "The Price Is Right," where I won the showcase showdown.