Tomas S. Herrera Announces Candidacy For Maverick County Sheriff
The Eagle Pass Business Journal has been authorized by Tomas “Tom” S. Herrera to announce his candidacy for Maverick County Sheriff in the March 1, 2016 Texas Democratic Party Primary Election.
It is with utmost respect to all Maverick County residents that I, Tomas S. Herrera, formally announce my candidacy for Sheriff of Maverick County. Having served as your Sheriff for eight (8) years prior to the current administration, I have personally seen and have received many comments from citizens and department employees in regards to the deterioration and breakdown of the facilities, equipment, and the lack of training and morale of the staff of the Sheriff’s department. What took eight (8) years to fund, develop and grow into a respectable and efficient Sheriff’s department under my tenure as your Sheriff, is now broken and in chaos under the current administration.
This community should be very upset and disappointed at what has been happening within our local Maverick County government. Unfortunately, in spite of all of the wrong actions and lack of action by our current Sheriff, this community’s sense of righteousness has come to the forefront of citizens. I am personally convinced that this community is ready to make a difference by exercising their right to vote for a change of leadership in the Sheriff’s department.
During the eight (8) years that I served as your Sheriff, we were able to bring $8,565,343.88 in State and Federal grants to purchase equipment and reinforce the security of the border and our community. The ability to bring money and/or grants from outside Maverick County sources is due to the relationships established with State and Federal agencies during the time that I served as Maverick County Sheriff. Despite having a full time and highly paid grant writer position in the current Sheriff’s department administration, the current Sheriff has not been able to secure any state and federal grants and/or outside assistance to Maverick County. The paid grant writer position in charge of securing these state and federal grant funds is just another of the failed policies within our Sheriff’s department and Maverick County government. This grant writer paid position is just another political payback to the Maverick County Judge.
Hundreds of valuable local jobs that were created during my term as Sheriff by obtaining a contract with the federal government for the detention of pre-trial prisoners in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and U.S. Department of Homeland Security were lost by the current Sheriff and Maverick County administration due to the lack of standing up and honoring the terms of these agreements as well as the arbitrary and capricious decisions made by the current Sheriff and County administration.
Over 185 well paying jobs together with their benefits were lost by Maverick County citizens who used to work for GEO at the Maverick County Public Facility Corporation Detention Center at the Radar Base. In addition, Maverick County lost a multi-million dollar economic impact to its local economy as a result of these previous employees salaries, benefits, ad valorem taxes, retail sales taxes, and purchases with local retail businesses when the current Sheriff and County administration caused GEO to stop managing the Maverick County Detention Center and their subsequent take over of the facility was a total failure and financial detriment to taxpayers.
Maverick County is currently being sued in federal court in Del Rio, Texas by the bondholders of the Maverick County Detention Center, exposing taxpayers to potential financial liability and expensive attorney’s fees and court costs. If I am elected again as your Sheriff, I will do everything possible within my powers to reestablish professional relationships with private, state and federal entities to reopen the Maverick County Detention Center and create new jobs in the County for the betterment of our citizens and community.
When I was elected and took over as Maverick County Sheriff in 2005, our Tom Bowles Detention Center was about to be shut down for not passing state inspections due to the previous Sheriff’s administration. After being given the opportunity to improve the facility, together with a great working team, I was able to have excellent inspections by the Texas Jail Commission. The current Sheriff’s administration has failed three times to pass the Texas Jail Commission’s inspections, causing Webb County to remove their prisoners from the Tom Bowles Detention Center and losing a valuable source of income for Maverick County. It is really a shame that our local news media has not picked on this problem and made the citizens aware of the challenges and problems facing the current Sheriff’s administration. I am constantly asked, “What is the cause for not passing the inspections?” The answer is simple, when the leadership has no idea of what has to be done to improve, how can they give direction to those that will make the difference? Plain and simple: lack of capacity.
Maverick County voters, I respectfully offer you 39 years of law enforcement experience, eight of these as your hard working Sheriff, and the recognition of the need to have professional discipline and no-nonsense law enforcement administration in our community. We need to bring back the dignity and respect that Maverick County citizens deserve and expect from their top law enforcement agency. I humbly and respectfully request your vote for Maverick County Sheriff in the Democratic Party Primary Election on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 and during the Early Voting period of February 16-26, 2016 at the City of Eagle Pass Multi-Purpose Center located at 480 S. Adams Street. Together, we can make a difference and improve the overall security of all Maverick Countians.
Political Paid Announcement by the candidate.