A. We do have an immediate presence to Travis County, of course, and it seems each time I read the paper, things are more and more violent. It seems the drug cartels are moving into Travis County, and with our county line being so vague, I think it is inevitable that we have the same influence of the drug cartels that are moving, evolving and encroaching into our county. Growth is always the issue to deal with here, and trying to manage the resources we have and put those resources in the right place. We are facing a challenge right now of some loss of personnel who are migrating down to the better paying jobs in Round Rock, Travis County as well as the Austin Police Department. There is not a singular issue.
Q. What makes you the best candidate for sheriff?
A. [I have] the ability to be a peace officer and the ability to be an administrator. It goes to my background, I believe. When I was 21 years old, I went to work for the Texas Department of Public Safety, where I became a patrol officer, and worked in Houston as a driver's license patrolman ... In 1991, I was promoted to be the director of that agency. We had a budget of about $296 million, give or take a few, and nearly 7,000 full-time employee positions. I graduated from Buna High School and attended college at Lamar University for a couple semesters. While I was a patrolman and an investigator, I completed my degree from Sam Houston State University in 1973. In 1979, I graduated from South Texas College of Law with a juris doctorate degree in law. I am licensed to practice law in Texas. Credentials are good in that they give you opportunity, but they don't do the job. They might open the door, but they don't do the job, you have to do that.
Tony Trumps
Tony Trumps worked in the Houston Police Department and held several different positions, including patrol officer, district crime scene investigator and as a narcotics division officer. He eventually retired from the department and later moved to Sun City in 2005.
