HOUSTON, Texas – The Harris County Commissioners Court appointed Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman to be the new County Sheriff on Tuesday. Hickman was immediately sworn in as Sheriff, replacing Adrian Garcia, who resigned to run for Mayor of Houston.
Hickman previously served as Constable for Harris County Precinct 4, the largest constabulary in the United States. At age 63, he has served in law enforcement since 1971, and in the Precinct 4 Constables Department since 1983, according to his website. He has been named Constable of the Year by the National Constables and Marshalls Association multiple times.
County commissioners said they were looking for a candidate with gravitas, law enforcement experience, administrative skills, and political knowhow, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle. It appears they also considered the candidate’s willingness to delegate supervision of the county jail to a jail administrator, a priority and goal of Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack.
Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle told Breitbart Texas, “Hickman will serve the county well. Commissioners Court will have a special session next Tuesday [May 19] to discuss and possibly act on the replacement [for the Constable’s position].”
Garcia resigned to run for mayor following months of turmoil at the jail facility, according to the Chronicle. This included scandals related to firings, and suspensions connected to the case of an inmate found to be living in squalid conditions. Many other scandals have plagued the former sheriff during his administration.
State Representative Allen Fletcher (R-Cypress) was also reported to be under consideration for the sheriff’s job, and has told Breitbart Texas on several occasions that he intends to run for the office in 2016, regardless of today’s actions by the Commissioners Court.
Some county leaders also speculate that Garcia will seek to win back the sheriff position in 2016, should he fail in his bid to become Mayor of Houston.
Hickman was elected to serve as Constable for Precinct 4 in November, 2000. He has been re-elected three times. In 2010, he attended the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development seminar. That program is designed to provide senior law enforcement executives the opportunity to network and learn about legal issues, strategic planning, employment law, and police programs. In 2014, Hickman graduated from a 10-week, invitation-only training program at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
He currently serves as a member of the FBI’s National Advisory Committee for the regional computer forensics lab program, and as Chairman of the Local Executive Board for the Greater Houston Regional Computer Forensics Lab.
Commissioners must now appoint a replacement for Hickman at the Precinct 4 Constables Office.
Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and on Facebook.