Galveston County’s newly sworn-in Sheriff Jimmy Fullen faces staffing gaps, plans to revamp mental health services, and takes steps to shut down the infamous Jeep Weekend event.
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Jimmy Fullen was sworn in as Galveston County's new sheriff on January 1, so beginning what he described as "a whole new era in law enforcement." But his tenure started amid difficulties, including the retirement of forty-three deputies prior to his arrival, so he accumulated more than 1,300 years of experience. Fullen has appointed fresh deputies and seeks to cover the remaining 20 openings with candidates from various agencies, including seasoned police.
Apart from staffing issues, Fullen intends to grow the mental health section of the county by assigning its seven deputies for patrol responsibilities while ongoing mental health interventions. Experts like University of Houston-Clear Lake criminology professor Kimberly Dodson, who cautioned it would heighten emotions during mental health calls, have criticized this action.
The sheriff also comes under examination over his licensing. A Texas Commission on Law Enforcement hearing scheduled for April will look into whether Fullen claimed he had prior offenses during the application process—a claim he vehemently disputes.
Targeting the contentious "Jeep Weekend" on the Bolivar Peninsula, an annual gathering with 100,000 people, is one of Fullen's first significant moves. Linked to hundreds of arrests and violent crimes, including a deadly shooting last year, Fullen plans to close it, citing it as "too violent" and detrimental to the neighborhood.
The department is also changing visually; deputies are substituting the blue design Fullen produced in 1992 for green uniforms. Emphasizing a fresh start for law enforcement in Galveston County, "We're changing the whole environment of the sheriff's office," he stated.
The future of Jeep Weekend and more specifics of Fullen's program will be discussed in a conference scheduled for January 8.
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