Sheriff Rick Flores' first hundred days

Well in advance of taking office at the beginning of the year, Sheriff-Elect Rick Flores worked to make his transition into office a well-researched effort that would identify and find resources for the most pressing needs of the Webb County Sheriff's Department. His campaign promise for change was not an empty one.

“We promised it. In fact, we guaranteed change for the better and we got busy immediately with a professional approach,” Flores said.

“Our staff deserves much credit. We had to do much more than simply put on a good face. Our changes to the department structure, personnel, and strategy in our first 100 days had to be meaningful and supportive of public safety and trust,” he added.

Flores has infused his department with a sense of discipline, integrity, high standards and respect among the rank-and-file, introducing the first-ever policies and procedures for the department.

1. When you took office the first of the year, what did you walk into?

We were hamstrung by a carryover budget from the 2003-04 fiscal year because of a collapse in the 2004-05 process by the prior administration. We pushed ahead and made the most of what was available -- in the face of the prior sheriff's refusal to allow me to participate in the budget process.

The jail was in a serious state of disrepair and suffered from a severe case of lax policies. Inmate supervision was deficient, at best.

The jail was in violation of state standards because of a poor classification system, overcrowding, and substandard inmate/guard ratios. There were people wandering the hallways unsupervised. Guards weren't accustomed to searching cells for contraband. People were using phones whenever they wished. We changed that without delay.

2. Have you found the kind of support your department needs in the Webb County Commissioners Court?

We lobbied Commissioners Court for some available funds, about $1.3 million to update our seriously obsolete, in some cases absent, equipment. And speaking of Commissioners Court, all members of the court, County Judge Louis Bruni and commissioners Frank Sciaraffa, Judith Gutierrez, Jerry Garza, and Cynthia Cortez Brunner, showed their responsible concern for public safety and are greatly helping in our attempt to modernize a department which was once rife with obsolete equipment.

3. How painful was the excising of old employees and the rehiring of some of them?

It would have been nice to keep all of the old employees. No one wants to see people lose jobs. Such an easy decision, though, would have been irresponsible. Reorganization and job changes were essential to accomplish established goals and we're already seeing positive results.

4. How quickly did the new order fall into place?

A fresh approach with a crucial need for a new set of eyes provided our innovative staff with a track to run on and a sense of direction which had once lain dormant.

Restructuring of department personnel turned into a media event at the outset, with frenzied reporters feeding off complaints of employees who weren't rehired. We looked at the department in detail, and although we kept the majority of the staff, some didn't quite fit the profile. On a few of them we had serious doubts. However, that's probably true of any changeover.

Hiring decisions were made in the best interests of the department and notification of those who weren't rehired was done in a dignified and professional manner.

A primary objective is to develop one of the most efficient, effective, and technologically advanced departments to serve Webb County, safeguard lives, and preserve constitutionally protected rights.

It was a process of evaluation and re-evaluation and this re-evaluation of the department goes on even now. And there were some who had given long and faithful service who just weren't considered part of the equation because of our new direction.

5. You've had a couple of infelicitous moments early in your tenure -- allegations of nepotism in hiring, allegations about the treatment of inmates from Mexico. Address those.

There were also allegations of mistreatment of inmates which caused a bit of a stir by the media. There were some claims which were thoroughly investigated and turned out unfounded. Some other claims on reduced visitation were laid to rest as well. We follow guidelines set by the Commission on Jail Standards and that has ruffled some feathers.

And after claims of nepotism surfaced early on, we made necessary adjustments in two positions after comprehensive examination by legal authorities. We wanted qualified people in all positions including those two: a Crime Stoppers slot and one in the grant-writing department. In one of them, we had a man who spent years with the DA's Office as a narcotics officer and that was a perfect fit. In the other, we had a retired school teacher with a varied background who also brought knowledge and experience to the table.

Vacancies are filled with qualifications in mind and one of the most notable examples of that is President John F. Kennedy's brother, Robert, who assumed the post, quite ably, of U.S. Attorney General.

We viewed the Webb County policy which provides the initial, appropriate criteria for nepotism, that is, “do not discriminate in the hiring of a relative.” In our view, nepotism is in the discrimination, not the hiring. Both people were superbly qualified.

6. What is true today about the Webb County Sheriff's Department, that wasn't true a year ago -- regarding morale, equipment, training, leadership?

We beefed up the law enforcement arm and reinforced our team of investigators up to seven from the previous three and increased the amount of patrol deputies from three per shift to 10 deputies per shift.

We also quickly went about acquisition of seven law enforcement vehicles -- five patrol units, two 4x4 vehicles for the outlying areas, and an administrative unit, to say nothing of re-outfitting deputies with brand-new and attractive looking uniforms -- all without costing the taxpayers a penny. We let the crooks pay for the vehicles and uniforms by way of our seizure fund. The illegal money confiscated was used to turn the tables on the crooks.

What will be evident from answers to the following questions is that through creativity, dedication, and God's help, there's been a dramatic turnaround in all four of the above.

We've made the most judicious use of what's available, working with a two-year-old budget (in which the prior administration refused to participate in last year's budget process) and stretched every penny to its limit.

The decision to integrate new technologies and updated methods of increasing work efficiency throughout the Sheriff's Department resulted in a new division: the Information Technology (IT) Division, made up of two sections. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is tasked with recording geographic data associated with crimes in Webb County, while the Statistics portion is responsible for collecting interdepartmental work-related output data.

GIS capabilities makes the Sheriff's Department the second non-federal law enforcement entity on the Texas-Mexican border to utilize geographic data for crime-mapping purposes. The Geographic Information System includes users, hardware, software, applications, and data. In this case we are working with geographic and socially derived information on countywide crimes. We use special computers and programs to record locations of crimes and related information for purposes of analysis. This will help us as chief decision-makers to allocate resources and manpower more efficiently and enable deputies and supervisors to predict, prevent, and reduce crime.

GIS techs use their computing and analytical skills to collect and interpret interdepartmental output to increase work efficiency and coordination of efforts throughout the department. They are also responsible for crime data preparation kept in the County Jail for use in the GIS.

Statistics collection from all sub-departments for regular staff meetings allows us an overview of operations and time expenditures. Crime data at this point exists in a hard copy format only, and as crime incidences increase, our workload also increases. Data must be transcribed from case reports into a digital, tabular form for use in the GIS. We are working towards eventually using a paperless, all digital system of data collection.

7. What kind of shape is the Webb County Jail in today?

Thanks to Major Iruegas and his troops, who worked long and hard, the jail was brought up to par and our staff was recognized at the Commission on Jail Standards meeting in Austin for the excellent job we'd done to bring the jail to acceptable standards.

To say nothing of the Commission's astonishment at our presence. Never, they said, had the prior administration ever shown up for a Commission meeting.

Since then, the jail continues to make great strides. For instance, in just the first 100 days, through wise and fiscal responsibility and a watchful eye, Major Iruegas and his staff have trimmed more than $169,000 in expenses compared to a similar period last year, by judicious use of groceries, medicines, and supplies -- an accomplishment heralded by the county auditor at a recent Webb County Commissioners Court meeting.

Even greater strides have been made in the jail operation in addition to bringing it up to state jail standards, which was an immense feat in itself.

Thanks to dedicated efforts by our staff, we've brought the jail up to acceptable federal standards. In fact, the U.S. Marshall's Service inspected it in detail and the government has resumed placement of federal prisoners -- a dramatic improvement. This achievement is a boon to taxpayers, too, restoring some $1.5 million a year to the county budget.

And we homed in on taking steps for an even more secure jail facility, making it a policy to have unannounced canine inspections to ferret out illegal narcotics, for which the jail was once known.

8. How do you feel about your job, your role as a leader?

It's obvious that on a personal level the job of the sheriff is to steer the ship and give it direction. This has been done and began taking shape way in advance of Jan. 1. It has already proven rewarding on several planes. From top to bottom, we're constantly re-examining policies and procedures to avoid the sluggishness that so often tends to set in with the passage of time. Again, with God's help, we'll stay the course.

9. What has changed in terms of the Sheriff's Department's presence in the rural areas?

We're happy to report that our presence in the rural areas is greatly expanded. Our strategy for the entire county is part of an integrated, holistic plan. We are no longer limiting our focus to such issues as simple trespass, poaching, theft, migrants, and cattle theft.

We realize that we now live in a much more complex society, that rural areas are now territories for urban gangs, drug dealers, drug traffickers, and international terrorism, which is a threat that looms larger than ever before.

Throughout the community and the county, people approach me and staff members, remarking on the dramatically increased presence of the Sheriff, his deputies, and civilian personnel who are visible as never before.

We're getting word-of-mouth notification that we're getting noticed, sometimes on a first-time basis on certain county backroads where Sheriff's units were never seen until Jan. 1.

10. You prepared a document for U.S. Senator John Cornyn regarding being on the front line of the border drug war, that in effect your department was defending this stretch of the river with archaic weapons versus the high tech armament of the drug factions. Expand on this please.

This began more than six months before the beginning of our administration. We laid a strong foundation upon which to build our administration with instructions to our core staff to prepare a white paper, an in-depth research on the priorities of our inaugural term: public safety, efficiency, and professionalism. These watchwords were applied to what we perceived as three of the most vexing problems: narcotics trafficking, human smuggling, and terrorism, all of which are increasingly prevalent in South Texas.

Shortly after our victory and again, months before the oath was administered, the staff met with personal representatives of U.S. Senator John Cornyn's office to share our comprehensive analysis of border security problems.

The meeting with Cornyn's team yielded at least part of the items covered in high-level hearings in Washington, D.C., on immigration and border security issues.

11. Describe your department's relationship with other law enforcement entities -- Laredo P.D., state troopers, federal agencies.

We immediately built bridges of understanding, which were once nonexistent. And we continue to do so even now. We've already worked on several cases with Homeland Security, Immigration, and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) and Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force. We're also grateful to U.S. Border Patrol and Union Pacific canine units for their participation in unannounced drug-sniffing operations at the Webb County Jail. There is much more coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. We've established a rapport with the rank-and-file at the police department, and we're courting the administrators as well.

12. Who comprises your administrative corps? What do they do, how can they be reached?

First off, we selected people who best fit our management style and who could more effectively adapt to departmental objectives with the proper mix of experience on one side and talent and a willingness to learn on the other.

My top administrators brought in more than 150 years of combined experience in law enforcement, including a former assistant chief investigator at the District Attorney's Office, a Texas Ranger who was a mainstay in South Texas law enforcement, and a global security expert who is well-schooled in the international aspects of law enforcement.

My right-hand man, Chief Deputy Louie Zapata, brought with him more than 24 years of experience, most of them as assistant chief investigator for the DA's Special Crimes Unit, considerable tenure with the Multi-Agency Narcotics Task Force, as well as having earned his spurs as a patrol sergeant with a former sheriff more than 27 years ago.

Deputy Chief Alberto Martinez began in law enforcement with the Sheriff's Office more than 30 years ago, then retired and began accruing years in the global, corporate security field, first with Packard Electric here, then with Daimler-Chrysler Corporate Security worldwide, where he became actively involved with highly sensitive security concerns.

Major Doyle Holdridge, a recently retired Texas Ranger with more than 33 years of experience including some five years as a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper, heads up the Patrol/Investigation Division. He is held in high esteem throughout South Texas for his first-rate handling of countless criminal cases, lending his expertise to a multi-county area.

Major Anthony W. Winterroth, who heads up the Sheriff's Department Training Division, came in with top-notch credentials as well. Tony served more than 17 years with the Laredo Police Department, where he notched supervisory experience in narcotics, patrol, traffic, and investigations, served seven years as police chief at United Independent School District Police Department, then a short stint as a special agent for the Department of Transportation, also spending considerable time as a security consultant and specialist in training law enforcement and security personnel.

Major Jorge Iruegas, who is the Department's Jail Administrator, spent a year as a corrections officer more than 15 years ago with Corrections Corporation of America and held supervisor level positions ever since. Following promotion to Caseworker for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the major served in the capacity of Assistant Program Director for the Bureau of Prisons Adult Halfway House Program, then Program Director for the Bureau's Juvenile Detention Program, followed by Recreation Director for the entire facility, capped off with his promotion more than four years ago to Chief of Security before he assumed his top duties at Webb County Law Enforcement Center.

We well realized the crucial need for a smooth transition to begin realization of goals without delay. We brought on board one of the premier experts in South Texas on organizational frameworks, Clifford Black, PhD, as administrative coordinator. Black served in high-level university deanships in the areas of arts and sciences, humanities, and education before contracting his talents in the public and private sectors. His expertise in the area of inter- and intra-departmental efficiency is recognized throughout this region.

Major Anselmo Robledo, Director of Community Affairs, was brought in for an ambitious expansion of the Sheriff's Department's outreach. The worthiness of some of the existing programs was recognized and we sought to further develop the community's role in enforcement assistance, crime prevention, and empowerment. Major Robledo has enlarged the department's outreach capabilities to include work with the elderly and beefed up mainstay programs such as G.R.E.A.T., D.A.R.E., T.R.A.I.D., and the Police Activities League -- to which he added new and adventurous programs such as Child I.D. to aid in location of lost or kidnapped children, the 911 Ready Fox Program to instruct children in the use of the 911 Emergency System on when to call and what to say and do, and the Internet Safety Program to teach children and parents on safety measures to avoid internet pitfalls because of growing victimization of children via the internet. Community Affairs activities, too, have spread to partner with Special Olympics, American Red Cross, and aid Child Protective Services.

The new Sheriff's Department Grant Writing Division is headed by Anita Guerra, who was recruited from the Webb County Economic Development Department. She has already submitted more than $1.8 million in requests, most of which are in the process of favorable consideration by state and federal agencies.

Adam Hale, who transferred his skills in spatial analysis from an environmental context to law enforcement, heads up the new Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Joe Gutierrez and Ray Lara assist in this brain trust that records geographic data associated with crimes in Webb County, while the Statistics portion is responsible for collecting interdepartmental work-related output data.

Former adult probation officer Juan Buentello heads up the MIS and information technology services as supervisor. Veteran Webb County deputy Ruben Martinez supervises the IG group.

Rounding out the list of our top administrators is Comptroller J.J. Gonzalez, who has long service in county agencies handling finances. He began in his area of expertise with the Webb County Community Supervisions Department as Assistant Accountant, then was recruited by the Webb County Treasurer Billy Hall to be his Operations Coordinator. Gonzalez's talents caught the eye of County Clerk Margie Ibarra, who made him her chief deputy before we noticed his talents.

Our top administrators can be contacted through the department's switchboard at (956) 523-4500. Contact person for the department is Public Information Officer Jennifer Gonzalez.

We focused on much more than selection of administrators. Our selection of personnel had to be tailored to pressing needs and goals of the Sheriff's Department. The utmost care was taken in the choices we made, always with the optimal fit in mind.

For example, as mentioned before, we were mindful of an evolving need for community involvement to bring the citizens of Webb County into more active roles in prevention and enforcement.

13. What do you want the residents of Webb County to know about your performance these first 100 days? What do you want them to know about what is in store?

We're determined to move this new Sheriff's Department forward and make it sparkle with a renewed emphasis on all aspects of corrections, law enforcement, and prevention -- to make this a familiar theme.

Change was one of our guarantees and so it is.

We have the first-ever Sheriff's Domestic Violence Unit. We're taking a new awareness to the rural areas and colonias. We're reaching out to communities and schools.

And we realized early on that catching lawbreakers isn't enough. We have to reach children and families to nip potential problems in the bud. We're fortunate to have Mattie Smith Gomez, a graduate-level counselor, and her teammate, Conchis Vasquez, who brings with her a unique understanding of help needed for families.

On the other end of the spectrum, there was also the need for an in-house Crime Victims Coordinator, Rachael Gonzalez, the first ever at the Sheriff's Department. She had to high-step it almost as soon as she came on board, aiding the family of a homicide victim with funeral expenses in early January. Since then she's held numerous interviews with crime victims to obtain state assistance and has proven effective in coordinating her efforts with the Texas Attorney General's Office to compensate crime victims and their families.

Then there's one of South Texas' chief crime-fighting tools, which the Sheriff's Department inherited a short two weeks after Jan. 1 -- Crime Stoppers and its famed Hotline, 727-T.I.P.S. or 727-8477, where callers can phone in tips, remain anonymous, and become eligible for cash rewards. The Crime Stoppers board voted unanimously for us to take over the program. Just in the first 100 days, our coordinators have relayed information to deputies which has resulted in seizure of more than two tons of marijuana with a street value topping $2.8 million.

A mixture of civilians and peace officers were sent to Crime Stoppers School and the department now has six people certified to handle calls, when it was once limited to one person.

We need to realize that our metropolitan statistical area has the second-fastest growth in the nation and with that we have to take another look at manpower. Then, too, there's a greater need to have Hotline services continue when one of our coordinators is unavailable -- a failsafe method.

Our first 100 days, which have been filled with firsts by way of restructuring and shifting of personnel, has also been marked by an extremely active corps of certified peace officers.

A double homicide/arson in one of Webb County's outlying areas put the freshly restructured investigative arm in a response mode.

The detective and patrol divisions proved themselves more than equal to the task in early January, developing the case which resulted in seven indictments within weeks and about five arrests with two arrests pending.

Patrolmen and investigators put in many hours of dedicated work. The entire department tackled this problem, proving that our confidence in them was more than well-founded.

And besides tangible changes for the better, such as insisting that all financial transactions be via money orders instead of cash to minimize the risk of lost funds, we've realized non-tangible benefits as well, forming a department whose structure is constantly tailored to public safety, efficiency, and professionalism.

The only thing sacred is service to Webb County.

Sheriff Flores invites the public to visit the department's website at www.webbcountytx.gov/sheriff.html.