Gage started his law enforcement career working as an officer for the Houston Police Department in 1970 after completing two tours in Vietnam as a U.S. Navy machinist mate aboard the USS Saint Paul in the mid-1960s.

“I served on tour in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and when I got out, law enforcement was something that I wanted to do,” Gage said.

In 1982 Gage joined the Montgomery County sheriff’s office under former Sheriff Joe Corley.

“He is a good man, I will tell you for sure,” Corley said. “He and I became very dear friends, and I have cherished that friendship all of these years. I have great respect for him and his leadership in our county for the last 12 years.”

Gage left the sheriff’s office in 1996 to work as a lieutenant for Tim Holifield, former Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable, and was later promoted to captain. Gage returned to the sheriff’s office in 2005 after he was elected sheriff.

Accomplishments

Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal said Gage has been instrumental in expanding the sheriff’s office, which provides law enforcement for about 81 percent of the county.

“He will sorely be missed,” Doyal said. “Sheriff Gage has done a tremendous job expanding that department to provide the best law enforcement possible for the citizens of Montgomery County.”

During his tenure as sheriff, Gage said he negotiated a new contract to provide all law enforcement services in The Woodlands, started the department’s first traffic enforcement motorcycle division in 2006, its first SWAT team in 2007 and a cold case homicide unit in 2008.

In 2010, the department also implemented the county’s first regional communication system, which allows different law enforcement agencies to communicate with one another.

Future challenges

Gage said keeping up with advancements in law enforcement technology has been a challenge over the course of his career.

“Back when I started you had to stop on the side of the road to call the police department from a pay phone if they needed you for something,” Gage said. “Today, you can call dispatch, call home or call your partner on the phone or talk to each other on the computer.”

Gage said a large population of residents living in surrounding counties also leads to increased crime rates in Montgomery County.

“We have a lot of crime where folks come into our county from other areas,” Gage said.