Special to El Rrun-Rrun
After 41 years of community involvement and a lifetime of experience in local and federal law enforcement, Fred Arias, a U.S. Veteran and Air Force police officer wanted to make a difference in the quality of justice dispensed at the grassroots level.
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Born and raised in Brownsville and a former Brownsville Police Officer, U.S. Border Patrol Agent, a U.S. Customs Inspector, Department of Homeland Security Sr. Intelligence Analyst and U.S. Government Contract Investigator, Arias looked around and was not happy with what he saw happening at the Justice of the Peace office Precinct 2, Place 1.
During the last 16 years, that position has been held by Linda Salazar and as time passed by, numerous problems became evident. She would sit in on her relatives' cases, had a sister working under her in the JP's office against county policy, and had complaints filed against her at the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct.
"I said to myself, 'here is my chance to raise the standards of community service in the office Of Justice of the Peace,'" Arias said. "Right is right and wrong is wrong. Our community deserves better and wants justice dispensed without strings attached to any special interests."
So Arias decided to offer the voters the experience of a lifetime of involvement in his community through his profession and by his passion of volunteering with different civic groups that serve the area.
"I am a weekly volunteer at the Harlingen Veteran’s Outpatient Clinic serving our local veterans, a member of Brownsville Nite Lions, a board member of the Brownsville Crime Stoppers and have been highly involved with the mentoring the youth of Brownsville," he said. "I will instill public representation we can be proud of with justice and fairness for everyone with respect and dignity."
Fred is the son of Alfredo and Maria Refugio Arias and is married to Nikki Arias Roberts (also a retired law enforcement officer) for over 31 years. Fred has a daughter, Veronica Gonzales, a police officer; and two step-sons, Clint Roberts, an environmental scientist and Coy Roberts, system administrator for Government contractors. He has nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Arias said he is not running against Salazar or his fellow challenger for the position Cyndi Hinojosa. Rather, he says he is running to serve the residents of the county.
"I'm working toward the betterment of Cameron County, and not against any person," he said. "I respect the office because it belongs to the public, but some office holders seem to have forgotten they work for the people, rather than the other way around. I want to change that."
After 41 years of community involvement and a lifetime of experience in local and federal law enforcement, Fred Arias, a U.S. Veteran and Air Force police officer wanted to make a difference in the quality of justice dispensed at the grassroots level.
Born and raised in Brownsville and a former Brownsville Police Officer, U.S. Border Patrol Agent, a U.S. Customs Inspector, Department of Homeland Security Sr. Intelligence Analyst and U.S. Government Contract Investigator, Arias looked around and was not happy with what he saw happening at the Justice of the Peace office Precinct 2, Place 1.During the last 16 years, that position has been held by Linda Salazar and as time passed by, numerous problems became evident. She would sit in on her relatives' cases, had a sister working under her in the JP's office against county policy, and had complaints filed against her at the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct.
"I said to myself, 'here is my chance to raise the standards of community service in the office Of Justice of the Peace,'" Arias said. "Right is right and wrong is wrong. Our community deserves better and wants justice dispensed without strings attached to any special interests."
So Arias decided to offer the voters the experience of a lifetime of involvement in his community through his profession and by his passion of volunteering with different civic groups that serve the area.
"I am a weekly volunteer at the Harlingen Veteran’s Outpatient Clinic serving our local veterans, a member of Brownsville Nite Lions, a board member of the Brownsville Crime Stoppers and have been highly involved with the mentoring the youth of Brownsville," he said. "I will instill public representation we can be proud of with justice and fairness for everyone with respect and dignity."
Fred is the son of Alfredo and Maria Refugio Arias and is married to Nikki Arias Roberts (also a retired law enforcement officer) for over 31 years. Fred has a daughter, Veronica Gonzales, a police officer; and two step-sons, Clint Roberts, an environmental scientist and Coy Roberts, system administrator for Government contractors. He has nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Arias said he is not running against Salazar or his fellow challenger for the position Cyndi Hinojosa. Rather, he says he is running to serve the residents of the county.
"I'm working toward the betterment of Cameron County, and not against any person," he said. "I respect the office because it belongs to the public, but some office holders seem to have forgotten they work for the people, rather than the other way around. I want to change that."