<\/p>\n
Harris County Constables Alan Rosen, Pct. 1, from left, Mark Herman, Pct. 4, Phil Sandlin, Pct. 8, Silvia Trevino, Pct. 6, Terry Allbriton, Pct. 5, Jerry Garcia, Pct. 2 and James \u201cSmoke\u201d Phillips, Pct. 7, gather together for a photo during a news conference in Houston, Thursday, May 22, 2025. Harris County constables are joined by Harris County commissioners and law-enforcement labor leaders to discuss pay raises for constable deputies.<\/p>\n
Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Harris County constables, empowered by legislation expanding their authority,\u00a0 are leveraging the threat of state intervention to pressure county officials for more money and autonomy<\/a>, according to emails obtained by the Houston Chronicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Constable Mark Herman, a Republican who leads Precinct 4 in north Harris County, demanded everything from excess toll revenue to changes to the county\u2019s paid parental leave policy. The emails carried with them the implicit \u2014 and at times, explicit \u2014 warning that, should the county fail to comply, they\u00a0will call on their allies in the Texas Legislature to force the matter.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe would prefer to work this out with our county versus the state,\u201d Herman wrote in one letter, \u201cbecause if legislation was passed it would certainly take money away from other county venues.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Harris County\u2019s eight elected constables \u2014 who employ a total of about 1,800 deputies \u00a0\u2014 proved they\u2019re a political force by successfully lobbying for a trio of bills that exclusively apply to their offices.<\/p>\n UNCHECKED FORCES:\u00a0A Houston Chronicle Investigation<\/a><\/p>\n One stripped the Harris County Commissioners Court\u00a0of its oversight of the constables\u2019 lucrative contract patrol program <\/a>that allows them to raise money by contracting with neighborhood groups for extra patrols. Another law prohibited commissioners from reallocating unspent law enforcement funds to other areas. Yet another mandated any future law enforcement pay raises be given equally to all agencies that report to the county.\u00a0<\/p>\n All three laws only affect counties with a population of more than 3.3 million \u2014 a common strategy employed by lawmakers seeking to tailor legislation to apply only to Harris County. Herman is listed as a supporting witness for two of the three bills.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that we\u2019ve been arguing over whether or not to have these contract patrols is preposterous,\u201d said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, one of the legislators behind the bills in support of the constables. \u201cIt\u2019s another example of Commissioners Court going in one direction when the public wants them to do the common sense thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Bettencourt said he hadn\u2019t heard from the constables about the upcoming legislative session, and that his only motivation in advancing the bills was helping the residents in Harris County meet their law enforcement needs.<\/p>\n \u2018So here we are\u2019<\/p>\n Harris County Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman attends a news conference in Houston, Thursday, May 22, 2025. Harris County constables are joined by Harris County commissioners and law-enforcement labor leaders to discuss pay raises for constable deputies.<\/p>\n Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n Herman alluded to his involvement with the legislation in a March 24 email sent to Commissioner Lesley Briones.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI told (the sheriff) several years back that eventually, if our Commissioners Court keeps raising the contract rates, at some point we will have to get state legislation done to allow us as elected officials to enter into law enforcement contracts, without approval from Commissioners Court,\u201d Herman wrote. \u201cSo here we are, with both new laws enacted.\u201d<\/p>\n In another email sent to\u00a0Briones on May 9, Herman criticized the county\u2019s parental leave policy, which allows employees to take as much as three months paid leave<\/a> following birth or adoption of a child.\u00a0<\/p>\n Herman said his inability to replace the six deputies who were on parental leave had begun to impact response times.\u00a0<\/p>\n The constable asked that\u00a0Briones and Commissioner Tom Ramsey work to resolve the issue as part of the budget process in October, otherwise he said he would be forced to seek legislative intervention.\u00a0<\/p>\n PREVIOUS: Exclusive: Constable seeks county-backed patrols for donor Tilman Fertitta\u2019s River Oaks district<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Briones \u2014 who Herman framed in his emails as a close ally of the constables, along with Ramsey \u2014 responded two days later saying she and her staff were \u201chappy to help identify and advocate for solutions.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In response to questions regarding the emails, Briones said in a statement that she was happy to work collaboratively with law enforcement officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever any of our law enforcement partners share concerns, I am willing to listen and work collaboratively to identify solutions,\u201d Briones said.\u00a0<\/p>\n In an earlier email sent to the two commissioners, Herman references a dispute with the county budget office. Herman said he and Precinct 5 Constable Terry Allbritton \u201calready have our complaint to the Governor\u2019s Public Safety board drawn up,\u201d should negotiations with the county fail.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the same email, Herman said he plans to pursue legislation in the next session that would divert excess revenue generated through the state\u2019s toll roads to law enforcement agencies. Herman said lawmakers have already signaled their support for the idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In June, Herman and Allbritton sent more emails, this time about staffing complaints. Allbritton accused the court of favoritism toward the sheriff\u2019s office, which requested an additional 20 positions. Allbritton alleged the county consistently rejected similar requests from the constables.<\/p>\n Herman, who was copied on the email, followed up the next day.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI feel confident we will get what we request, if not I have some ideas on how we can achieve it,\u201d he wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n More powerful ‘than they ever have been\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n Most Texas counties have independently elected constables, originally intended to serve court documents, guard county property and conduct evictions. But Harris County\u2019s are by far the largest in the state, and have seen their mission creep from one focused on civil process and security to broader law enforcement efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Harris County, the constables offices have evolved the last few years into more powerful institutions with political interests and major lobbying capacity,\u201d said University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus. \u201cThe balance of power in county government has definitely shifted in their favor.”<\/p>\n NEW LAW: Harris County leaders push back on patrol contract law, calling it a “budget killer”<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n