Sheriff Ed Gonzalez is working every day to keep Harris County seniors, families and children safe. He is advancing reforms to our criminal justice system to ensure that everyone is treated equally under the law. And he is reforming the office to make it more efficient by controlling costs and eliminating waste.

Ed earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Houston Downtown and went on to serve 18 years with the Houston Police Department. He started out as a civilian employee, then became a police officer and rose to the rank of Sergeant, leading homicide investigations and serving on the elite hostage negotiation team.

Ed was elected to the Houston City Council in 2009, serving three terms as the representative for District H. He was elected by his peers in 2010 to serve as Vice Mayor Pro-Tem and was appointed Mayor Pro-Tem in 2012 by Mayor Annise Parker.

As chair of City Council’s Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee, Ed broke new ground with initiatives to protect vulnerable seniors from elder abuse, expand the fight against human trafficking, reduce the public safety risks of stray animals, protect cyclists and pedestrians on city streets and protect online buyers and sellers from predators.

Ed was elected Sheriff of Harris County, Texas on November 8, 2016. His first term, where he has continued to prioritize public safety and reform. Sheriff Gonzalez:

• Supported efforts at responsible bail reform and made significant progress in implementing the new rules in a way that protects the public and preserves the constitutional rights of people who have been arrested but not convicted of crimes
• Set the standard for innovation and collaboration regarding the care and response to the mentally ill – making a significant positive impact on the treatment and response to individuals with serious mental illness, developmental disabilities, neurocognitive disorders and substance abuse
• Dedicated new resources to help incarcerated military veterans
• Expanded gun surrender programs and increased our focus on domestic violence
• Made road safety and decreasing road fatalities a priority, including convening a new, multi-agency task force charged with targeting law enforcement initiatives in areas with a high frequency of speeding or crashes
• Brought the county jail into compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and moved swiftly and transparently to deal with compliance issues
• Reduced overtime expenses and save tax dollars that could be redirected to other vital programs serving the public
• Led heroic rescue and recovery efforts to keep people safe during Hurricane Harvey and other disasters