March 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 3

MIKE KNOX DEMOCRATIC

MIKE KNOX DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY JOE INOCENCIO My name is Joe Inocencio and I am running to become your next Harris County Sheriff? My primary reason to run against the Incumbent is the way the Jail has been neglected and managed like those in a Third World Country. The state Jail with its historic homicides, suicides, recent violent sexual assault of a female Jailer by an unescorted violent offender, Harris County faces serious threats. Increasing crime related to illegal immigration, narcotics and human trafficking, jail safety and the lack of manpower are issues which must be addressed. The next Sheriff of Harris County must be an advocate for law enforcement and must abandon the popular “hug a thug” approach currently infecting the politics at Commissioners Court. As Sheriff, I will focus on pushing back against unreasonable demonization of our law enforcement community. I will focus on enforcing all the laws of Texas and will get the jail recertified under the requirements of the Texas Jail Commission. I will reestablish the relationship with our federal partners by cooperating with I.C.E. and reinstituting the 287G program. I bring over 15 years of practical police experience, from routine patrol to investigating complicated homicide cases to this office. I helped create the first Divisional Gang Unit in Houston and I am a founding member of the board of the Texas Gang Investigators Association, which now has hundreds of members statewide. Over 20 years ago, I launched a firm which consults with law enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad about street gangs and violent youthful offenders. I am a published author and a recognized international expert on street gangs. In 2015, I was elected to At- Large Position 1 of the Houston City Council and served two 4-year terms. I gained a reputation as a person who stood up for conservative values and was unafraid of confrontation with the Democrat Mayor and liberal majority of council by focusing on good government based on social and fiscal conservative values. I have the law enforcement, business, political and electoral experience to be the winning Republican nominee for Harris County Sheriff. I am the best candidate to make public safety the most critical issue at the Sheriff’s office and at Commissioner’s Court. I ask you to vote for Mike Knox for Harris County Sheriff in the March 5 Republican primary. Jailer on detainee and detainee on detainee assaults and beating deaths, detainee deaths due to medical malfeasance, historic staff shortages, resignations, and low morale, historic number of Federal class-action lawsuits, and FBI and Texas Rangers’ murder investigations are just some of the reasons why I am running for Sheriff. We are in the national news for all the wrong reasons. The way the Harris County Jail has been managed has been labeled by employees as “The Culture of Death” and it has become not only a Public Safety crisis, but a Human Rights issue. My solution: We must reintroduce deputies back into the Jail. The experiment of having civilians with only five weeks of training staffing the Jail has failed miserably. The idea to save taxpayers’ dollars has ironically VERGIL RATLIFF As a public servant in law enforcement for more than thirty-eight years, I bring a varied amount of experience, both of which is essential in the role of an effective leader. I am currently employed as Captain with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts - Criminal Investigation Division, Professional Standards. I have patrolled the streets of Houston and Harris County, primarily working in black and brown communities. I have worked undercover in various capacities from purchasing and selling narcotics to posing and soliciting prostitution. I have investigated allegations of inappropriate behavior and/or criminal activities of officers while assigned to the Internal Affairs Division-Personnel Concerns. Yet, while all of the aforementioned assignments are notable, my most rewarding experience was as a Police Activities League (P.A.L.) Officer. I mentored and cultivated relationships with inner-city kids in the Cuney Homes community. Many of them call upon me today for advice and cost millions more due to multiple lawsuits, overtime, and outsourcing detainees out of state, not to mention multiple needless deaths. The “culture of violence” is perpetrated by undertrained civilians. When I joined the Harris County Sheriff’s Department in 1980 as a deputy jailer we had a lot less problems than we have today with a lot less deputies, and we certainly did not have a national stigma of a “culture of death” an “expectation of violence”, or a “place of torment and punishment”. Deputies must be the ones that control the jail, not the inmates. I have over 38 years in law enforcement, retiring as a lieutenant from the Houston Police Department in 2014, and as an Assistant Chief Investigator from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in 2020. It is time for change! guidance. In the 1990’s, when communities across the country were being infiltrated with crack cocaine, I organized a community of people in Acres Homes. They, along with law-enforcement officers, developed strategies to combat drugs in their community. The organization was later called the “Acres Homes War on Drugs,” and for my leadership role I received the Presidential 1000 Points of Light Award from President George H.W. Bush. Based on my extensive law-enforcement experience and my known commitment to community service, in 2010, I was appointed by City of Houston Mayor Annise Parker to serve on the Board of Managers for the Greater Harris County 911 Network. As of this date, I continue to serve on the Board of Managers as an appointee by Mayor Sylvester Turner. I have received numerous awards, commendations, and recognitions throughout my law enforcement career. In 2019 I was recognized with a life saving award and for Women in Leadership in 2023 by the Texas Comptroller. Over the years I’ve cultivated my leadership by attending classes, workshops, conferences and seminars. I have accepted leadership roles through employment, political appointments, and community volunteerism, all of which have afforded me the opportunity to exercise my acquired leadership skills through practical application. I am hard-working, dedicated and committed to professionalism and excellence. Although my chosen profession is under attack and scrutiny, I continue to wear the badge proudly and remain committed to restoring community faith and trust in law enforcement. 90 The Blues - March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 91