Word in from Tom Zakes that the speaker at this week’s Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club meeting will be newly appointed Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman. From Tom’s email:
Sheriff Ron Hickman
Sheriff Ron Hickman was recently appointed to the office of Sheriff of Harris County on May 12, 2015. Just previously, he demonstrated his commitment to leadership by graduating from the FBI National Academy Session # 256 in March 2014 at age 62. On March 15th 2013 in a ceremony held in Sugarland Texas for the National Constables and Marshals Association, the board recognized Sheriff Hickman with their most prestigious award. He was recognized for his leadership qualities, innovation, and commitment to public service and has been again awarded the “National Constable of the Year” for his second time. He had previously won the National Constable of the Year award in 2007 and had also been recognized as Texas Constable of the Year in 2006 by the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas and in 2005 was recognized with their T. A. Vines Award. Constable Hickman has been a leader in law enforcement technology and in deeply involved in providing these advancements for police officers across the county. He has been a pioneer in implementing laptops in patrol vehicles and is now developing applications for officers to use iPads and tablets as well. These additions increase the efficiency of officers in the field while leveraging the technology provides cost recovery and time savings to improve budgetary effectiveness.
Starting as a cadet with the Houston Police Department in June of 1971, Ron Hickman served in a variety of assignments and obtained a broad range of experience in law enforcement. He took on specialized training and worked in Underwater Search and Recovery and became a Bomb Squad Technician. Later as he was assigned to the Planning and Research Division of the Department he began his exposure to building computer programs and computer technology.
Beginning with the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office in 1983, he was quickly promoted to Sergeant over the Communications Office. The absence of computerization initiated a challenge that drove the search for serious improvements in automation for both the Constable’s Office and the remainder of law enforcement in Harris County. Since that time, Constable Hickman has been an integral part of the leadership for technical advances in law enforcement and is constantly looking for new opportunities to enhance crime fighting technologies.
Attending the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute at Sam Houston State was a pivotal experience, as was attendance at the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Series. Constable Hickman serves as Chair of the Local Executive Board for the FBI’s Greater Houston Regional Computer Forensics Lab and is a member of the FBI’s National Advisory Committee for the regional computer forensics lab program out of its National Program Office.
With a strong emphasis on the use of technology and progressive policing practices, Constable Hickman continues the practice of two way communication with community leaders and members of local neighborhoods. He also believes strongly in increasing professionalism through training and advancing educational opportunities for police officers. Ron graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2005 and encourages his command staff and supervisors to constantly seek more leadership training.
Ron was elected as Constable of Precinct 4 in November of 2000 and took Office January 1st, 2001. His goal is striving to meet the community’s needs while exceeding their expectations. He is most proud of being accessible to the community and actively involved in numerous community organizations. His wife Connie Hickman, also a part of the justice community, is a Justice of the Peace in another county and both have been active in the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas for many years. Recently being appointed as Sheriff of Texas largest Sheriff’s Office he is eagerly undertaking his new challenges.
Looks to me like he has hit the ground running. My friend Louis Guthrie has nothing but positive things to say about Sheriff Hickman so that makes him A-OK in my book. I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say as he prepares not only to shore up the department that Democrat Adrian Garcia ran into the ground but to run a primary campaign and then try to hang on in a Presidential year. Gonna be a tough road and it will be very interesting to see if he can woo far right primary voters. I see that Carl Pittman had Ted Nugent out to his campaign kickoff…
As a reminder, the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club meets weekly at the Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Houston every Thursday from noon until 1:00 pm.
Comments
Jeff Larsonsays
In the 2010 election cycle, I served on the Candidate’s Committee for the HCRP. We interviewed all the candidates for the contested Constable offices. Mr. Hickman impressed me as the incumbent with the most on the ball, and one of the prime candidates for higher office.
Scott Rogerssays
I remember that in the 2008 constable pct. 4 race…Louis Guthrie had nothing good to say about Ron Hickman.
In the 2010 election cycle, I served on the Candidate’s Committee for the HCRP. We interviewed all the candidates for the contested Constable offices. Mr. Hickman impressed me as the incumbent with the most on the ball, and one of the prime candidates for higher office.
I remember that in the 2008 constable pct. 4 race…Louis Guthrie had nothing good to say about Ron Hickman.