OPED: Rand Henderson: The Right Man for Sheriff

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- This column may upset some. And quite frankly, I don’t care about people who feel I may have rubbed them the wrong way, but it needed to be written.

I wasn’t anticipating endorsing any candidate this primary season. Montgomery County is Conservative, Thank God, and I would support the nominee chosen, whoever won. Unfortunately, in the Sheriff’s race, it ended in a run-off only by a few votes, with Sheriff Rand Henderson receiving a smidge under 50% plus 1 vote. I was invited to a small gathering for Sheriff Henderson last Thursday. It wasn’t a fundraiser, but a meet and greet of friends; at the dealership of Carl and Lynn Howard, who own the consignment shop across the interstate from Candy Cane Park. And since I attend invites when I can, and had no pressing engagements, I went.

I’ve met the Sheriff on multiple occasions, and I appreciate his leadership and especially his management skills. A Sam Houston graduate, he came up through the ranks (from prison guard to the top). He’s not a good old boy. But, he’s part of a team, not only to his own department, but works with District Attorney Brett Ligon; who hands down, runs the toughest DA’s office against criminals in the State of Texas. And I respect Ligon wholeheartedly. Both Henderson and Ligon are well lauded across the state, especially by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

I believe that criminals, who rarely think, actually think about their actions when they cross the Harris-Montgomery County Line, knowing that Henderson’s deputies and detectives will hook ‘em, and Ligon’s Assistant DA’s will cook ‘em … And it works. I’m all for the Rule of Law, because if you don’t have that. Well, you get hell-holes like Harris County, and worthless states like California, Oregon, and Washington state (and D.C.). You get unlivable places like Chicago, Detroit, Gary Indiana, Austin, Denver, New York City, and every stinking Democrat stronghold out there. God awful places, where Democrats believe in criminal and illegal alien rights over those of lawful American citizens. So we owe a debt of gratitude to Sheriff Henderson, his deputies and investigators, for keeping us safe.

I cheered Brett Ligon’s endorsement of Sheriff Henderson. And you don’t have to ask Brett to speak up, not with his resounding voice. Henderson’s leadership during the pandemic in keeping the Montgomery County Jail open, when other counties were limp wristed in their approach in releasing prisoners. What Henderson did was the right thing to do. Rand took responsibility for his actions, while other elected leaders vacillated. Besides, it’s the prisoners' fault they are in custody. And even if H5N1 Bird Flu (the 2024 Democrat election panic campaign for mail-in ballots) showed up on Montgomery County’s doorstep tomorrow, I’d expect the same actions from Sheriff Henderson. That may sound cruel and heartless, but life is not fair. In Montgomery County, We Are Free to do as we please, but we are held accountable for our actions as well. Henderson’s command staff and deputies see to that, and the Sheriff demands professionalism from his team.

I look at Rand Henderson as the CEO of a corporation, with its different divisions, each with their own distinct mission operating with a certain degree of autonomy, with their own goals, strategies, and performance outcomes. But they all share the vision of the Sheriff, through strategic planning, which is aimed at the department's future operations and initiatives.

Henderson initiated strategic planning in Montgomery County, bringing a set of standards and qualifications for his deputies to obtain and maintain throughout their careers. He modernized professional development and career progression programs, and streamlined the promotional process so that the most qualified personnel for the job actually are placed in positions of responsibility. Rand regularly recognizes deputies and employees at several ceremonies done throughout the year. He also understands that working as a deputy can be very stressful, so he instituted a wellness and mental health initiative for his department. Deputies can get PTSD like combat veterans, and just being able to talk to a mental health professional on staff is half the battle to healing and overcoming stress. The Sheriff recognizes all those programs are a must for a competent and professionally run department.

Henderson is a big-believer in zero-based budgeting, which D.C. can surely take a lesson. His Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) is a model for other agencies, and assists deputies and detectives with information at their fingertips at crime scenes or at the office. The number of intoxicated drivers has lowered under Rand’s watch, with some of his deputies racking up dozens of arrests per year, with one deputy having over 200 arrests for DUI. On top of that, Henderson’s fight against drugs, and his loathing for fentanyl is palpable. He called the deadly drug a ‘weapon of mass destruction,’ which most surely it is, and recently it claimed the lives of three young people in Montgomery County.

Another thing I like about Rand is his Faith in God. He is not afraid to pray in public, which would have Democrats running for the hills. He is unapologetically Conservative and Christian, and has no bother in sending his Conservative son to the University of Texas at Austin, and getting a stronger Conservative man back when he leaves.

I’ve met the opposing candidate, and he is a nice guy. And having Texas Ranger on your resume is impressive. But his management abilities over a large organization like the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department are unproven, and I’d rather not upset the apple cart. In these trying times, a leader that has proven experience like Rand Henderson, is a most precious thing and to toss it aside would be a detriment to Montgomery County. Sheriff Henderson is a leader who has the endorsement of the top DA, and the top three leaders in the State of Texas, and he should get All of Our Votes.

The Primary Runoff election starts with Early Voting, May 20-24. Election Day is May 28th.

Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net