PERSON: Ron Hickman

Harris County, Texas

Sheriff

Ron Hickman was appointed as the current Sheriff of Harris County Texas on May 12th, 2015 with a unanimous vote by the Harris County Commissioners court. Sheriff Ron Hickman comes to the post of Sheriff having served as Constable of the largest Constables Office in the United States, Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office from 2001 to May 12th, 2015. While Ron Hickman was the Precinct 4 Constable he was recognized for his leadership qualities, innovation, and commitment to public service and was awarded the”National Constable of the Year” for his second time on March 15th 2013. In a ceremony held in Sugarland Texas, representatives from the board of directors from the National Constables and Marshals Association recognized Ron Hickman with their most prestigious award. He had previously won the National Constable of the Year award in 2007 and has also been recognized as Texas Constable of the Year in 2006 by the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas and in 2005 was recognized with their T. A. Vines Award.

Sheriff Hickman has been a leader in law enforcement technology and in deeply involved in providing these advancements for police officers across the county. He has been a pioneer in implementing laptops in patrol vehicles and is now developing applications for officers to use iPads and tablets in the performance of their duties. These additions increase the efficiency of officers in the field while leveraging technology. This provides cost recovery and time savings to improve budgetary effectiveness.

Beginning with the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office in 1983, he was quickly promoted to Sergeant over the Communications Office. The absence of computerization initiated a challenge that drove the search for serious improvements in automation for both the Constable’s Office and the remainder of law enforcement in Harris County. Since that time, Ron Hickman has been an integral part of the leadership for technical advances in law enforcement and is constantly looking for new opportunities to enhance crime fighting technologies.

Attending the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute at Sam Houston State was a pivotal opportunity and immediately upon graduation in 1995 was asked to return as an instructor in Information Technology. Sheriff Hickman says, “Sharing experiences and offering guidance to other agencies is important as a participant in the brotherhood of policing.” He taught from 1995 through 2000 as a faculty member for the Institute, sharing his technical experience with officers from across the State. More recently in 2010, Sheriff Hickman attended the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development seminar (LEEDS) designed to provide senior law enforcement executives the opportunity to network and obtain instruction in legal issues, strategic planning, and employment law and police programs.

Active in supporting advances in technology in criminal investigations, Sheriff Hickman serves as Chair of the Local Executive Board for the Greater Houston Regional Computer Forensics Lab. Sheriff Hickman also serves as a member of the FBI’s National Advisory Committee for the regional computer forensics lab program out of its National Program Office in Quantico Virginia.

With a strong emphasis on the use of technology and progressive policing practices, Sheriff Hickman continues the practice of two way communication with community leaders and members of local neighborhoods. He also believes strongly in increasing professionalism through training and advancing educational opportunities for police officers. Ron graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and encourages his command staff and supervisors to constantly seek more leadership training.

Sheriff Hickman’s goal is striving to meet the community’s needs while exceeding their expectations. He is most proud of being accessible to the community and actively involved in numerous community organizations. His wife Connie Hickman, also a part of the justice community, is a Justice of the Peace in another county and both have been active in the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas for many years.