On a clear Saturday night over thirty people came out to Clays restaurant in far west Harris County to meet Carl Pittman. Lesa Trapp, precinct chair of 0618, organized the event. Some of the many folks in attendance where Bob Price and wife, Eric Weinmann, Bill Kneer, Burt Levin and wife, Charly Padanilam the ever lovely Kelly Horsley looking refreshed, after just returning from vacation, and many others. The only other candidate was Henry Dibrell, running for a position on the KISD board. Of course Carl was accompanied by his ever supportive wife, Kristi Pittman. Running for a public office is truly a monumental task and having spouse support is critical. She truly is a major asset to his campaign.
Mr. Pittman hopes to be the next Harris county sheriff. Born in Fulshear, Texas in 1963. He served in the Marine Corps from 1981 to 1985 and then joined the National City Police Department in southern California where he became an expert on gangs. He has worked for the Harris County Sherriff office since returning to Texas in 2001. Carl moved into Harris County from Fort Bend County in April 2010.
The budget for the Sheriff’s department is roughly four hundred million dollars. Five years ago it was two hundred and fifty million. At the same time the number of officers has not increased but over a hundred executive’s spots have been added. Carl plans on starting with a zero based budget an cut some of those executive spots and hire more hourly officers for the field. He also told the crowd that the Harris County jail is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the nation. The jail is home to over ten thousand inmates on any given day. Much of this codling of prisoners has been forced on us by the left wing Democrat judges that have been elected in the past.
Carl Pittman is in touch with Sheriff Joe Arpaio and recently traveled to meet with Sheriff Arpaio who showed Carl how he is controlling his budget. One of the things Carl believes could save money is changing the fact that inmates in Harris County are taken better care of than the ones in the state run prisons. As Arpaio says “why should a prisoner live better in jail than they do out of jail?” Carl also looked at the tent jails and the chain gangs Sheriff Arpaio has set up and plans to duplicate some of them in Harris County. On June fourth Sheriff Joe Arpaio is coming to Houston for a fundraiser for Carl Pittman. I know I’m ready to go. More details coming soon at http://carlforsheriff.com/about-carl.html. I suggest getting your tickets early as this will most likely be a sale out.
Like many people in our great country, Carl wasn’t involved in politics until recently. He first voted as a Republican in the 2010 primary in Fort Bend County. Carl clearly sees the money being spent by our government as not sustainable and believes if America falls there is no place left to go. Carl told me that he wants to give something back that will help make this a better nation for his children and grandchildren. Is Carl Pittman the man to win back the sheriff’s office? With nineteen months to go before election I for one will be taking somewhat of a wait and see position. However, I haven’t found anything that would make me not want to vote for him. Mr. Pittman certainly has all the qualities we are looking for in a sheriff. He has years of police experience, has run a small business, and seems to be forthcoming on any question he is asked. He has some great ideals for ways to cut the budget and raise the level of service to the public. My advice is to meet Carl and ask him yourself questions that are important to you. If Sheriff Joe Arpaio likes him, that’s a pretty strong endorsement for me. The Sheriff’s office without a doubt is one of the most important in the county. We truly need a person we can trust. Do yourself a favor and talk to Carl and form your own opinion.
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I understand Carl was one of the first to throw his name in the ring for the 2012 Sheriff’s race. I understand five others have too or will real soon. My problem is in 2008 Carl supported and campaigned for the Democrat Candidate Adrian Garcia – and against the conservative candidate. He had always voted Democrat until ten months ago when he was lead around by a West Harris County GOP contact who works at the Sheriff’s Office. He now hired a big name campaign manager and all things are supposed to be okay.
Carl heard Sheriff Joe had already met with several other Texas Law Enforcement candidates and was possibly coming to Houston. I guess Carl got more money together to pay Sheriff Joe’s speaking and appearance fee; then he told the other Texas candidates he has exclusive claims on Sheriff Joe’s when he is in town.
I’m sorry, in my opinion Adrian Garcia is not much of a Peace Officer and he is 100{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} liberal politician. Carl is not much of either. Carl does not have much of his own ideas, he borrows from everyone else. I heard he tried his hand at real estate and had to close shop because of poor business practices and he possibly has several other spotty spots in his past. I really wonder if he is here just to divide the vote of the GOP?
Do we have anyone else? How about retired Constable Bill Bailey? How about DA Office Chief Investigator Don McWilliams (Judge Roberta Lloyd’s spouse), Pct 4 Constable Chief Deputy Skip Oliver, retired Sheriff Lieutenant now attorney John Denholm or retired Deputy Mike Hawkins, or another 2008 Sheriff candidate, Deputy Paul Day?
There are plenty of candidates who may want to be the Sheriff, but there are very few who are qualified to run a $400 million business. Please lets get a real candidate and leader.
Very interesting. Carl Pittman, first I’ve heard of him. According to Alvin Walker, a pretty stand-up guy. Experienced law and order type, friend of Sheriff Joe, addresses the fat/waste in the budget, sounds good! Then I read the post by EmSee. Voted liberal until less than year ago, sounds like he may be more of an opportunist than a leader. This is the reason why candidate research is so important. It is to expose information to further qualify individuals before they get on the ballot, so we are not left with a choice of bad vs. not as bad.
Everyone was duped by the deceitful but hopeful promise of a person who would step up and represent the interests of the over worked and unappreciated personnel of the Harris County Sheriff's Office feeling Adrian Garcia was a man of his word. Instead right off the bat violates the trust of all who worked hard to get him elected. Willing to sign the Peace Officer Bill of Rights prior to being elected, but stalling and then refusing to sign off on the one thing that gained the support of every person who works for the HCSO. Carl Pittman was involved with AG's campaign when running for the sheriff's office and shared the same views as AG, and now he wants to gain the support of the personnel he worked with to get AG elected. I agree that this seems like a plot to split the ticket. Pittman has never supported or voted Conservatively and I promise he sin't going to start now. What is that old saying… "If it walks like a duck, and swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck". Let your conscience be your guide, and do be decieved again by the wolf wearing sheeps clothing.