Change can be a good thing. A comparison of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department with the same Department only four years ago is proof that change can be very beneficial.  Sheriff Thomas ascended to his position with a great deal of knowledge about the department ...its strengths and weaknesses.  Change came quickly as Sheriff Thomas evaluated systems, personnel placement, operations and administration.
Four years ago we had very few Sheriff Deputies on the street.  The ratio was 1 Deputy to over 7,000 people while Houston’s ratio was 1.75 Police Officers per 1000 people.  While we have not reached the enviable ratio which the city of Houston enjoys, we have seen an improvement in our ratio to about 1 Deputy per 2,700 people.

Four years ago we had no computers in the Deputy’s patrol cars.  They waited in an imaginary line for a communication’s person to check TDLs and license tags.  This was a truly dangerous situation for the Deputies.  Of course, the City of Houston had computers in cars in the 1970s.  Computers are now being installed in all Harris County Deputy Sheriff’s vehicles, dramatically improving every Deputy’s productivity and safety on the job.

Four years ago there were no Sheriff Department Store Fronts.  While the City of Houston was adding Store Fronts from which to stage their Police Officers and solidify their relationships with the community, Harris County residents enjoyed no such convenience.  Today we have one Store Front in each of the four Sheriff’s Patrol Districts, and the Department has authorized a second Store Front for each District.
 Four years ago there was no network of computers in the Sheriff’s Department.  Report filing was a nightmare utilizing terminals (the forerunner of the modern network system) to enter redundant information.  Deputy productivity was lowered as they waited for a terminal; access to specific information was virtually unknown.  The City of Houston, of course, was completely automated.  Information was available to a Police Officer in a Store Front or at a Command Station merely by entering their password.  Computers have been an integral operation tool for HPD for a long, long time.  Now, the Sheriff’s Department has been equipped with a network of computers in all the Store Fronts, Substations, Detective offices, Traffic, Hot Spots, and selected areas in the Downtown facility.

Four years ago there were four Districts.  Deputies ran from call to call, reacting to crime....not proactively patrolling the neighborhoods.  Meanwhile, the City of Houston was divided into neat, composite “beats” which allowed the Police Officer to get to know the people and the area in a confined geographic region.  The results was quicker response time and a lowered crime rate.  Today the Harris County Sheriff’s Department has the manpower and the technology to utilize the “beat” system in the unincorporated area.  This works to lower crime and improve response time.

Four years ago the Harris County Sheriff’s Department had a small number of Detectives who were overly encumbered with their gargantuan caseloads.  Simultaneously, HPD’s Detectives were not over burdened; their closure rate was high.  Today, the Sheriff’s Department has increased the number of the Detectives and creatively utilized them with  each District.  Now we see Detectives assigned to the District working their cases more efficiently; time is no longer wasted in a downtown office or driving between the District and Downtown.  The number of Detective positions has increased substantially, thereby lifting the burden of an impossible caseload from the Detectives’ shoulders.  Productivity as well as resolution has increased.

Four years ago, the Sheriff’s Department was burdened with an antiquated, understaffed dispatch system.  Calls for service often held for as long as 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, HPD’s Dispatchers enjoyed a pleasant working environment, a light load and state of the art equipment.  In June of 1998, Sheriff Thomas announced many new positions in Dispatch.  In addition, he announced the purchase of a state of the art dispatching system which is world class.  Today, emergency calls are answered almost instantly.  The wait on the non-emergency line is much lower than that of most airlines.

Sheriff Thomas has also established the Sheriff Interactive Group which allows the citizens to meet with the Deputies and Command Staff to discuss crime in the District.  Sheriff Thomas added the Rape Aggression Defense class; RAD is highly rated, 15 hour program which teaches every woman the skills necessary to escape a potential assault.  There is no charge for this class; the Sheriff wants every woman in Harris County to have access to this information.  In addition, the Sheriff has added the KOPS program, six weeks of structured learning designed for 8 - 11 year olds; KOPS has been a hit throughout Harris County.  This, too, is free.  Finally, Sheriff Thomas has implemented a Citizens Police Academy.  This highly successful 13 week course provides insight into law enforcement, county government, police procedures, state law and much more.

Change can be a good thing.  Sheriff Thomas has taken a Department which was demoralized, debilitated and overworked and has invigorated it with energy and efficiency.  Our Sheriff is the CEO of a very large company.  He has handled his duties as Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Harris County with dignity, professionalism, and a keen eye for productivity and technology.  He has analyzed the problems and implemented sound business logic in resolving them.  He has established a relationship with other county officials as a team player who looks out for the interest of Harris County and its citizens.  The changes which Sheriff Thomas has implemented are a good thing.  If you have a suggestions, bring them to the next Sheriff Interactive Group Meeting.  The Sheriff would like to hear them.***