Former assistant chief Mark Herman was sworn in as the new Harris County Precinct 4 constable at a special meeting May 19.[/caption]

A week after Harris County Commissioners Court named Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman the interim sheriff May 12, Commissioners Court appointed Assistant Chief Mark Herman as the precinct’s new constable at a special meeting May 19.

“I want to thank Commissioners Court,” Herman said. “I’ll be looking to you for guidance and wisdom the next couple of months. My No. 1 priority is public safety. I’m ready to go to work. Sheriff Hickman has [given me] a lot of tools [for] my toolbox.” Herman, who praised Commissioners Court for its diligence in the selection process, said he has worked in Precinct 4 for nearly 30 years under Hickman and the previous constable, Dick Moore. “Although they had two different styles of management, I will be able to adapt and use both of them to develop my own leadership for the department,” Herman said. In his first act as the new constable, Herman said he planned to promote Capt. Donald Steward to replace him as the assistant chief in charge of patrol responsibilities. The new constable said he planned to make other promotions from within the department. “We’re going to take it very slow and have a smooth transition,” Herman said. “My plan is to not promote from outside the department unless I deem it necessary. We’ve got a lot of good folks at Precinct 4, and I’m looking forward to working with them all. Plus I know their abilities.” Herman said he is ready to get to work. “We want to continue fighting crime and working with our communities to do what we do best—[making] Precinct 4 and that whole area the safest place in Harris County,” he said. Hickman was appointed by Commissioners Court as the interim sheriff at a meeting May 12. He replaced former sheriff Adrian Garcia who announced plans May 6 to run for the mayor of the city Houston in November. Hickman will serve the remainder of Garcia’s term as sheriff through the end of 2016, and an election will be held in November 2016. Hickman plans to run for the position, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.