Houston Republic

Harris County elected officials on both sides of the aisle showed up together on Tuesday to voice their opposition to a study of contracts held by constables under the Harris County Contract Patrol Program,” proposed by  (D-Precinct 2).

Garcia had asked the commissioners’ court consider his proposal because of potential savings that could be had by “eliminating the ability of constables to enter into the contracts,” according to a report by The Texan.

The Contract Patrol Program allows homeowners’ associations and neighborhoods in the county to enter contracts with any of the eight constable offices in the county for extra patrols and law enforcement. Those entities may also contract with the Sheriff’s Office.

The community that enters the contract with the constables is only responsible for 70-80 percent of the extra cost of those additional patrols.

Commissioner Jack Cagle requested a supplemental agenda item and suggested that if the study were approved it should encompass all county law enforcement agencies.

More than 100 individuals signed up to testify on the issue during the Tuesday night meeting of the commissioners’ court. Every county constable attended, opposing the plan and accusing Garcia of trying to undermine the constables.

Sherman Eagleton is the Constable for Precinct 3, and he said during the meeting that he had tried to set up meetings with Garcia, but never had those meetings. He also said that Garcia was attempting to undermine that precinct’s offices, telling staff not to use constables for security.

“In no way should the contract program ever go away. It’s a force multiplier for their agencies, for ours as well,” said Ed Gonzalez, Sheriff of Harris County.

By the end of the evening, Garcia said that he would ask Judge Lina Hidalgo (D) to pull his proposal.

“I regret that this item and the way that it was communicated has caused that kind of concern, that wasn’t the intent…and for that reason I’ll be asking the judge to pull this,” said Garcia.

The commissioners unanimously affirmed the Constable contract program and refused to study the effects of eliminating or terminating the Constable or Sheriff contract program.