Dec 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 12

HARRIS COUNTY
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Two things I’d like to point out
before moving on to 1985 and
the Sheriff Johnny Klevenhagen
Administration. First, it wasn’t all
work and no play. The HCSO had
the “Heard’s Herd” men’s softball
team and “Heard’s Honey’s “ladies
softball team. Second, and
certainly one of the most significant
changes the Harris County
Sheriff’s office ever encountered,
was the creation of Civil Service.
With the support of Sheriff
Jack Heard, State Representative
Tony Polumbo and Senator Craig
Washington drafted the bill, it
passed, and became Law that
same legislative session. The
871 Sheriff’s Office employees
now had Civil Service protection.
Credit should also go to Lt. Grace
Hefner, the late Lt. John Armstrong,
and Sgt. Debbie Dana. All
worked countless hours to make
Civil Service possible.
Sheriff Johnny Klevenhagen
took office January 1, 1985, and
as was tradition with all new
Sheriffs at the time, came new
uniforms, badges, and new paint
on patrol cars. Once again, the
HCSO had a new look. Uniforms
were dark blue shirts and
taupe-colored pants. Badges
were 7-point stars, silver for
deputies and gold for supervisors.
Vehicles assigned to patrol
divisions were black with white
striping. At some point MDTs
were installed in patrol units.
Another thing common with new
Sheriffs, was a change in upper
management. Per Civil Service
rules, positions thru the rank
of Captain were protected. The
Sheriff’s command staff worked
at the pleasure of the Sheriff and
had no Civil Service protection.
Since 1948, when C.V. “Buster
Kern” became Harris County
Sheriff, and through the first 2
terms of Johnny Klevenhagen’s
tenure, the Sheriffs had mostly
been Democrats. However,
during Ronald Reagan’s two
terms as a Republican President
and then George Bush in 1988, the
Republican party had a strong
influence in local races. After his
re-election in 1992, Klevenhagen
switched parties and became a
Republican. In 1995, Klevenhagen
announced his early retirement,
and Commissioners Court appointed
Chief Deputy Tommy
Thomas to fill the unexpired term
of Klevenhagen. Sheriff Thomas
served as Sheriff until December
of 2008.
Adrian Garcia, a former HPD
Officer and Houston City Councilman,
ran against incumbent
Sheriff Thomas in the 2008 election
and won the election. Garcia
took office January 1, 2009, and
served until he announced on
May 6, 2015, that he would be
resigning his elected position
as Sheriff to run for Mayor of
the City of Houston. As a result,
Harris County Commissioners
appointed Republican PCT. 4
Constable Ron Hickman, as Sheriff
to finish the unexpired term of
Sheriff Adrian Garcia.
Hickman served as Sheriff from
May 2015 to November 2016.
Following Sheriff Ron Hickman,
is the current Sheriff of Harris
County, Ed Gonzalez. Gonzalez
was also a former HPD Officer
and a Houston City Councilman.
To the credit of Sheriff’s Thomas,
Garcia, Hickman, and current
Sheriff Gonzalez, the badges,
uniforms, color scheme of the
vehicles haven’t changed in 25
years.
In summary, Harris County has
seen seven men in seventy years,
take the helm as High Sheriff of
Harris County. I salute them all.
Art Woolery, Detective
HCSO, JVPD Retired
The Blues 40th Anniversary Issue 121 121