Harris County Sheriff's Office
Encyclopedia
The Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is a local law enforcement agency
serving the over three million citizens of Harris County
, Texas
, United States
. It is headquartered in the 1200 Jail in Downtown Houston
.
As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 3.4 million (a 2005 estimate placed the population at almost 3.7 million), making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has approximately 3,500 employees and is the largest sheriff’s office in the state of Texas and the third largest in the nation. The number one and two largest sheriff’s offices in the nation are respectively the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
in California and the Cook County Sheriff's Office
in Illinois.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the 1118 square miles (2,895.6 km²) of unincorporated area
of Harris County, serving as the equivalent of the county police for the approximately 1,071,485 people living in the unincorporated areas of the county. In Texas, sheriffs and their deputies are fully empowered peace officers with county-wide jurisdiction and thus, may legally exercise their authority in unincorporated and incorporated areas of their county; they primarily provide law enforcement services for only the unincorporated areas of a county, while yielding to municipal police or city marshals to provide law enforcement services for the incorporated areas. All peace officers in Texas; whether Sheriff's, city police, State Troopers, constables or Marshals have state-wide arrest powers for any criminal offense committed within their presence or view.
The jurisdiction of the Harris County Sheriff's Office often overlaps with several other law enforcement agencies, among them the Texas Department of Public Safety
(Highway Patrol), the eight Harris County Constable Precincts, and several municipal police agencies including the city of Houston Police Department
. The duties of a Texas sheriff generally include keeping the county jail, providing bailiffs for the county and district courts within his county and serving process issued by said courts, and providing general law enforcement services to residents. The current sheriff of Harris County, Adrian Garcia, has been in office since 2009.
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
Traffic Enforcement Division
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit
Crime Control Division/Hot Spot Unit
Park Patrol Division
Canine Unit
Marine Division
Dive Team
Motorist Assistance Program (M.A.P.)
Sex Crimes Unit
Auto Theft
Burglary & Theft
Criminal Warrants Division
Domestic Violence
Homicide
Covert Operations Division - Narcotics/Vice Unit
Runaways
Sex Crimes Offenders Registration
Victims Assistance
1200 Baker Street Jail
701 San Jacinto Street Jail
1307 Baker Street Jail
Courts Division
Prisoner Logistics Command
Inmate Processing Center
Central Records
Transportation Division
Inmate Affairs
Medical Division
Support Services
Recruiting and Background Investigations
Academy
Personnel Services
Family Assistance Unit
Uniform Supply and Inventory Control
Career Development
Business Office
Network Administration
John Moore was sworn in as the first sheriff of what was then called Harrisburg County (later renamed Harris County) in February 1837. Among the oldest law enforcement agencies in Texas, the department has grown from a single man on horseback to a modern agency with 3500 employees, including over 2500 sworn officers.
List of Harris County Sheriffs
Those with the rank of sergeant and above are issued gold badges. Deputies are issued silver badges. Detention officers (jailers) wear white uniform shirts and are issued a silver badge and Detention Officer Sergeants are issued gold badges and wear red stripes . Academy cadets wear a white uniform shirt with a cloth badge.
Promotion to the ranks of sergeant through captain are made via a civil service testing process that includes a written exam and an oral review board. Chief deputies and majors are appointed by the sheriff.
cut its community mental health services funding by $400 million in 2003. Between 2004 and 2009 the population of the Harris County jails increased from 7,648 to 11,546. From 2003 to 2011 the number of full time psychiatrists increased from three to eleven. As of 2011 25% of prisoners require mental health services. Of them, 90% had been previously placed in the Harris County jail.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office's correction facilities are located in Downtown Houston
, all within a block of one another.
The 701 Jail (also known as 701 North San Jacinto) is one of the largest detention facilities in the United States. The seven floor 701 Jail has 4,144 inmate beds. The 701 Jail, originally a five story building to be used as a cold storage warehouse, opened in the late 1920s. The Houston Terminal Warehouse and Cold Storage Facility was constantly occupied throughout its history. In 1989 the county completed the planning and design stage of its new jail. The cold storage portion was allowed to thaw, and construction on the facility began in December of that year. The facility was gutted and two floors were added. The 701 Jail opened in August 1991. Harris County stated that the re-use of the warehouse saved the county about $21,000,000. About 600 sheriff's deputies and detention officers work in the facility. The county designates the 701 Jail as a "Direct Observation" facility, where staff members monitor inmates continuously for 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. In 2002 the 701 Jail was the second largest American jail, with the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
being the largest.
. The building was at first occupied by the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. The building reopened under the Sheriff's office in 1998. As of 2010 the Harris County Sheriff's Office is leasing the facility. The 1,070 inmate beds are located in two wings. The county designates this jail as a "Semi-Direct Observation," where staff members monitor inmates in the dormitory area continuously for twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. One lieutenant, nine sergeants, and 112 sheriff's deputies and detention officers staff the jail. The jail also has the Farm Shop, a place where stray livestock confiscated by the Sheriff is kept.
The 301 San Jacinto facility is a former jail. Before 1982 a portion of the 3rd floor had the headquarters of the HCSO. Three floors housed inmates. The basement had the booking, kitchen, laundry, and releasing areas. The commissary operated in a room on one of the housing floors. The cellblocks were overcrowded. The Alberti lawsuit forced the county to build additional jails. In 2002 400 trustees were housed in the top four floors in the building. As of the same year administrative offices, court processing/holding cells, and visitation facilities were in the basement.
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
serving the over three million citizens of Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is headquartered in the 1200 Jail in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
.
As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 3.4 million (a 2005 estimate placed the population at almost 3.7 million), making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has approximately 3,500 employees and is the largest sheriff’s office in the state of Texas and the third largest in the nation. The number one and two largest sheriff’s offices in the nation are respectively the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
in California and the Cook County Sheriff's Office
Cook County Sheriff's Office
The Cook County Sheriff's Office is a local law enforcement agency that serves Cook County, Illinois. It is the second largest Sheriff's department in the United States, with over 6,900 members. It is headed by the Sheriff of Cook County, currently Thomas Dart...
in Illinois.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the 1118 square miles (2,895.6 km²) of unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Harris County, serving as the equivalent of the county police for the approximately 1,071,485 people living in the unincorporated areas of the county. In Texas, sheriffs and their deputies are fully empowered peace officers with county-wide jurisdiction and thus, may legally exercise their authority in unincorporated and incorporated areas of their county; they primarily provide law enforcement services for only the unincorporated areas of a county, while yielding to municipal police or city marshals to provide law enforcement services for the incorporated areas. All peace officers in Texas; whether Sheriff's, city police, State Troopers, constables or Marshals have state-wide arrest powers for any criminal offense committed within their presence or view.
The jurisdiction of the Harris County Sheriff's Office often overlaps with several other law enforcement agencies, among them the Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Department of Public Safety
The Texas Department of Public Safety is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The DPS is responsible for statewide law enforcement and vehicle regulation. The Public Safety Commission oversees the DPS. Its five members are appointed by the Governor of Texas and confirmed by the...
(Highway Patrol), the eight Harris County Constable Precincts, and several municipal police agencies including the city of Houston Police Department
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. Its headquarters are in 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston....
. The duties of a Texas sheriff generally include keeping the county jail, providing bailiffs for the county and district courts within his county and serving process issued by said courts, and providing general law enforcement services to residents. The current sheriff of Harris County, Adrian Garcia, has been in office since 2009.
Organization
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is divided into ten bureaus: Executive, Patrol, Patrol Support Services, Detective, Public Services, Detentions, Field Operations Support, Human Resources, Support Services and Homeland Security. Each bureau is a major function of the department. Each bureau is commanded by a major. Each bureau is further divided into divisions/sections.- EXECUTIVE BUREAU
- Internal Affairs Division
- Public Information Office
- PATROL BUREAU
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
- PATROL SUPPORT SERVICES BUREAU
Traffic Enforcement Division
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit
Crime Control Division/Hot Spot Unit
Park Patrol Division
Canine Unit
Marine Division
Dive Team
Motorist Assistance Program (M.A.P.)
- DETECTIVE BUREAU
Sex Crimes Unit
Auto Theft
Burglary & Theft
Criminal Warrants Division
Domestic Violence
Homicide
Covert Operations Division - Narcotics/Vice Unit
Runaways
Sex Crimes Offenders Registration
Victims Assistance
- DETENTION BUREAU
1200 Baker Street Jail
701 San Jacinto Street Jail
1307 Baker Street Jail
- PUBLIC SERVICES BUREAU
Courts Division
Prisoner Logistics Command
Inmate Processing Center
Central Records
Transportation Division
- FIELD OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES BUREAU
- Communications Division
- Investigative Support Division
- Crime Scene Unit
- SUPPORT SERVICES BUREAU
Inmate Affairs
Medical Division
Support Services
- HUMAN RESOURCES BUREAU
Recruiting and Background Investigations
Academy
Personnel Services
Family Assistance Unit
Uniform Supply and Inventory Control
Career Development
Business Office
Network Administration
- HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU
History
List of Harris County Sheriffs
- John W. Moore..............1837-1841
- Mangus T. Rodgers..........1841-1843
- John Fitzgerald............1844-1846
- David Russell..............1846-1850
- James B. Hogan.............1850-1854
- Thomas M. Hogan............1854-1856
- John R. Grymes.............1856-1858
- George W. Frazier..........1858-1861
- B.P. Lanham................1861-1865
- John Proudfoot.............1866
- Irvin Capters Lord.........1866
- A.B. Hall..................1866-1873
- Sam S. Ashe................1873-1875
- Cornelius M. Noble.........1876-1883
- John J. Fant...............1884-1886
- George W. Ellis............1887-1895
- Albert Erichson............1896
- W.M. Baugh.................1897-1898
- Archie Anderson............1899-1912
- Marion F. Hammond..........1913-1918
- Thomas A. Binford..........1919-1936
- Norfleet Hill..............1937-1942
- Neal Polk..................1942-1948
- Clairville "Buster" Kern...1949-1972
- Jack Heard.................1973-1984
- Johnny Klevenhagen.........1985-1995
- Tommy Thomas...............1995-2008
- Adrian Garcia..............2009-
Ranks
These are the ranks of the Harris County Sheriff's Office.| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Sheriff |  |
| Chief Deputy |  |
| Major |  |
| Captain | |
| Lieutenant |  |
| Sergeant Supervisor / Sergeant Investigator |  |
| Deputy Investigator | |
| Deputy | |
| Detention Officer / Jailer |
Those with the rank of sergeant and above are issued gold badges. Deputies are issued silver badges. Detention officers (jailers) wear white uniform shirts and are issued a silver badge and Detention Officer Sergeants are issued gold badges and wear red stripes . Academy cadets wear a white uniform shirt with a cloth badge.
Promotion to the ranks of sergeant through captain are made via a civil service testing process that includes a written exam and an oral review board. Chief deputies and majors are appointed by the sheriff.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Harris County Sheriff's Department, 35 officers have died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sheriff Carl F. Courts | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Constable James A. Reed | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Arthur Taylor | |
Gunfire (Accidental) |
| Deputy Sheriff William C. Williams Jr. | |
Gunfire (Accidental) |
| Deputy Sheriff Joe Trapolino | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Theron Eldridge (Eddie) Shofner | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Leo Busby | |
Automobile accident |
| Deputy Sheriff Donald E. Knowlton | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Walter Howard Harvey | |
Automobile accident |
| Deputy Sheriff Fred B. Peebles | |
Vehicular assault |
| Deputy Sheriff Edd Williams | |
Gunfire |
| Detective Rodney Scott Morgan | |
Gunfire (Accidental) |
| Deputy Sheriff Jimmie Howard McKay Sr. | |
Gunfire |
| Reserve Deputy Sheriff James A. Wier | |
Vehicle pursuit |
| Reserve Deputy Sheriff Joe Mason Westbrook | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Albert Ochoa Garza | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Royce Melvin Anderson | |
Gunfire (Accidental) |
| Deputy Sheriff Reginald Floyd Norwood | |
Vehicle pursuit |
| Deputy Sheriff Haskell Junior McCoy | |
Automobile accident |
| Deputy Sheriff Clark Harold Henry | |
Automobile accident |
| Deputy Sheriff Richard Maurice Blackwell | |
Motorcycle accident |
| Corporal Jeffery Scott Sanford | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Ricky A. Yates | |
Motorcycle collision |
| Detective Harvey Davis | |
Heart attack |
| Deputy Douglas John Noll | |
Vehicle pursuit |
| Deputy Sheriff Randolph Michael Eng | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Keith Alan Fricke | |
Motorcycle accident |
| Deputy Rebecca Ann Shaw | |
Struck by train |
| Deputy Sheriff Oscar Clarence Hill IV | |
Vehicular assault |
| Deputy Sheriff John Charles Risley | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Barrett Travis Hill | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Joseph Norman Dennis | |
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Shane Ronald Bennett | |
Gunfire (Accidental) |
| Jailer Thomas Flores Douglas | |
Heart attack |
| Detective Tommy L. Keen | |
Accidental |
Correction facilities
The number of insane inmates in the jail increased since the Texas LegislatureTexas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
cut its community mental health services funding by $400 million in 2003. Between 2004 and 2009 the population of the Harris County jails increased from 7,648 to 11,546. From 2003 to 2011 the number of full time psychiatrists increased from three to eleven. As of 2011 25% of prisoners require mental health services. Of them, 90% had been previously placed in the Harris County jail.
Current facilities
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, all within a block of one another.
1200 Jail
The 1200 Jail opened on January 23, 2003. The 1200 Jail has the administrative offices of the Sheriff's Department. The building has 603000 square foot of space, and it has a 100000 square foot parking garage. The facility, which has 4,156 regular beds, 124 beds for the Medical Division, and 96 beds for MHMRA, is one American football field deep and two American football fields in length. 430 sheriff's deputies and detention officers work at the facility. The facility houses an inmate classification center. Each floor has counseling rooms, MHMRA examination/interview rooms, multi-purpose rooms, a recreation area, triage rooms. The fourth floor houses women. The sixth floor houses a law library and vocational rooms. The jail offers New Choices, a substance abuse program. The 1200 Jail includes a large medical clinic, a dental facility, an infirmary, mental health facilities, a pharmacy, an x-ray facility.701 Jail
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
being the largest.
1307 Jail
The 1307 Jail (also known as the 1307 Baker Street facility), located east of the 701 Jail, was originally built as a state jail for the Texas Department of Criminal JusticeTexas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
. The building was at first occupied by the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. The building reopened under the Sheriff's office in 1998. As of 2010 the Harris County Sheriff's Office is leasing the facility. The 1,070 inmate beds are located in two wings. The county designates this jail as a "Semi-Direct Observation," where staff members monitor inmates in the dormitory area continuously for twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. One lieutenant, nine sergeants, and 112 sheriff's deputies and detention officers staff the jail. The jail also has the Farm Shop, a place where stray livestock confiscated by the Sheriff is kept.
Former facilities
The 850000 square foot 1301 Franklin facility opened on September 13, 1982. The county built the jail due to the aftermath of the early 1980s Alberti lawsuit. The jail, with 13 stories and a basement, had the HCSO's administrative offices. The facility opened on September 13, 1982 and had the capacity to house around 4,000 inmates. After the opening of the 1200 Jail on January 23, 2003, the former Franklin facility was no longer used as a jail. Currently the HCSO's Crime Scene Unit is housed in the building.The 301 San Jacinto facility is a former jail. Before 1982 a portion of the 3rd floor had the headquarters of the HCSO. Three floors housed inmates. The basement had the booking, kitchen, laundry, and releasing areas. The commissary operated in a room on one of the housing floors. The cellblocks were overcrowded. The Alberti lawsuit forced the county to build additional jails. In 2002 400 trustees were housed in the top four floors in the building. As of the same year administrative offices, court processing/holding cells, and visitation facilities were in the basement.