Special to El Rrun-Rrun
Dear Editor,
I count myself among one of your seven faithful readers and have read "Special to El Rrun-Rrun" contributions to his blog taking Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio to task for shortcomings in the department he's headed for almost two decades.
For the most part, some of these criticisms of the administration of the department seem valid. The non-compliance of the jail, the lax personnel screening procedures, and the acts of the bad apples in the department have cast a bad light on the department, as they would in any department.
But as a former law enforcement officer who worked in the local, state and federal level in South Texas, I cannot see how former Cameron County District Clerk – who can only list a peace officer certificate as the only qualification to hold the office – should hold the position.
Garza may be a good man, a good manager and knowledgeable with new technology, but the fact of the matter is, he lacks in law enforcement experience and temperament which is so necessary to run a department of some 500 employees.
Be that as it may, and as my drill instructor in the military used to say, when you undergo an inspection, try to stand next to another soldier whose boots are less shiny than yours.
The other"boots" we can compare with are right next door, in Hidalgo County.
On any measure – murders, major crimes, federal indictments of law enforcement officers – Hidalgo County is higher in the corruption index than Cameron County, and has been there since Lucio has been in office. To be sure, there are always bad apples in any barrel, but when they are discovered they are tossed out as undesirable. I'm sure Mr. Garza had his share in the district clerk's office.
Still, to the citizens of Cameron County, and even though we're next door the Matamoros – the birthplace and headquarters of the Gulf Cartel – we have enjoyed relative security and tranquility under Lucio than Hidalgo County has under their sheriffs during the same time.
The federal government has indicted sheriffs in Starr, Hidalgo and Webb (Laredo) counties, but conspicuous for its absence, has been Omar Lucio's Cameron County. He is simply well respected across the state for his integrity. And he's one of the few to hold a jurisprudence degree in law.
But it is somewhat incongruous to the estimated 4,000 to 5,000 law enforcement officers at all levels who live in this county that we should have a sheriff whose qualifications and experience wouldn't get him a job as police chief in La Feria, Santa Rosa, the Port of Brownsville, etc., never mind the larger cities.
Most require at least three years law-enforcement experience, and the larger ones, a master's degree in law enforcement and years as an officer with supervisory experience. What would it be like to have officers with decades of law enforcement experience – or cities with chiefs with much more experience – working with someone with only a peace officer certificate?
Just because you take an acting class doesn't mean that you can get a role as a movie star.
The jails have always been a problems for all sheriffs in the State of Texas. It's the nature of the beast when you have custody of convicted criminals. I dare anyone to name a county where the jails have not been in non-compliance with some of the myriad of rules of the state. Things are pointed out, fixed, and we go forward.
I do not agree with some of the sheriff's supporters making unfounded allegations against Mr. Garza over unproven charges linking him to organized crime. That is irresponsible and below the belt and I wish they would cut it out because it causes a diversion from the choices before us. As far as I can tell he's a sincere young man who aspires to higher office. That's his prerogative and, frankly, admirable.
But this is my opinion as a retired lawman that Lucio has kept our communities and our families safe from the dangers which bedevil our neighbors. There is always room for improvements, and Mr. Garza has pointed out some that need to be considered. But to trade horses in the middle of this dangerous stream at this hazardous pass seems to me ill conceived.
I hope you find it appropriate to post this letter as it is my sincere and honest opinion of the choices facing us. Both are good men, but that's the way I see it from here. Thank you.
Dear Editor,
I count myself among one of your seven faithful readers and have read "Special to El Rrun-Rrun" contributions to his blog taking Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio to task for shortcomings in the department he's headed for almost two decades.
For the most part, some of these criticisms of the administration of the department seem valid. The non-compliance of the jail, the lax personnel screening procedures, and the acts of the bad apples in the department have cast a bad light on the department, as they would in any department.
But as a former law enforcement officer who worked in the local, state and federal level in South Texas, I cannot see how former Cameron County District Clerk – who can only list a peace officer certificate as the only qualification to hold the office – should hold the position.
Garza may be a good man, a good manager and knowledgeable with new technology, but the fact of the matter is, he lacks in law enforcement experience and temperament which is so necessary to run a department of some 500 employees.
Be that as it may, and as my drill instructor in the military used to say, when you undergo an inspection, try to stand next to another soldier whose boots are less shiny than yours.
The other"boots" we can compare with are right next door, in Hidalgo County.
On any measure – murders, major crimes, federal indictments of law enforcement officers – Hidalgo County is higher in the corruption index than Cameron County, and has been there since Lucio has been in office. To be sure, there are always bad apples in any barrel, but when they are discovered they are tossed out as undesirable. I'm sure Mr. Garza had his share in the district clerk's office.
Still, to the citizens of Cameron County, and even though we're next door the Matamoros – the birthplace and headquarters of the Gulf Cartel – we have enjoyed relative security and tranquility under Lucio than Hidalgo County has under their sheriffs during the same time.
The federal government has indicted sheriffs in Starr, Hidalgo and Webb (Laredo) counties, but conspicuous for its absence, has been Omar Lucio's Cameron County. He is simply well respected across the state for his integrity. And he's one of the few to hold a jurisprudence degree in law.
But it is somewhat incongruous to the estimated 4,000 to 5,000 law enforcement officers at all levels who live in this county that we should have a sheriff whose qualifications and experience wouldn't get him a job as police chief in La Feria, Santa Rosa, the Port of Brownsville, etc., never mind the larger cities.
Most require at least three years law-enforcement experience, and the larger ones, a master's degree in law enforcement and years as an officer with supervisory experience. What would it be like to have officers with decades of law enforcement experience – or cities with chiefs with much more experience – working with someone with only a peace officer certificate?
Just because you take an acting class doesn't mean that you can get a role as a movie star.
The jails have always been a problems for all sheriffs in the State of Texas. It's the nature of the beast when you have custody of convicted criminals. I dare anyone to name a county where the jails have not been in non-compliance with some of the myriad of rules of the state. Things are pointed out, fixed, and we go forward.
I do not agree with some of the sheriff's supporters making unfounded allegations against Mr. Garza over unproven charges linking him to organized crime. That is irresponsible and below the belt and I wish they would cut it out because it causes a diversion from the choices before us. As far as I can tell he's a sincere young man who aspires to higher office. That's his prerogative and, frankly, admirable.
But this is my opinion as a retired lawman that Lucio has kept our communities and our families safe from the dangers which bedevil our neighbors. There is always room for improvements, and Mr. Garza has pointed out some that need to be considered. But to trade horses in the middle of this dangerous stream at this hazardous pass seems to me ill conceived.
I hope you find it appropriate to post this letter as it is my sincere and honest opinion of the choices facing us. Both are good men, but that's the way I see it from here. Thank you.