Message from Sheriff Ed Gonzalez:
The Houston Texans are honoring local first responders and frontline heroes during this Sunday’s game versus the Baltimore Ravens. The front row seats at the first home game of the 2020 season will be filled with fan cutouts of our community’s heroes, including your Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies!
Our deputies and frontline workers have stepped up to tackle today’s unprecedented challenges and continue to give so much to our community during these uncertain times. Their daily, unwavering efforts play an essential role during the pandemic and keep Harris County residents healthy and safe year-round.
Please join me in rooting for the Houston Texans and recognizing our deputies and those on the front lines for the work they do for Harris County and surrounding communities by tuning in on game day at 3:25 p.m.
Connecting Criminal Justice Students with Communities in Recovery
The College of Public Service at the University of Houston Downtown (UHD) has partnered with the Sheriff’s Office since 2018 to host an invaluable senior seminar course for criminal justice students in the spring and fall semesters that integrates classroom and community elements into an established curriculum.
Dr. Judith Harris, associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, pioneered the partnership effort. She works directly with our Chaplaincy Services Program to provide college seniors interested in a criminal justice career with an opportunity to learn about the inner-workings of the Harris County Jail – the largest jail in Texas. These scholars also get acquainted with our Brothers in Arms Program, an initiative we launched to help and empower military veterans with resources and support while they’re incarcerated. Students see the importance of rehabilitation services and reentry programs first-hand.
In past semesters, students have received recovery training and hands-on experience at the Harris County Jail, placing them directly in the roles and communities they aspire to serve. Chaplaincy Services Program Coordinator Heide Laser, a UHD alumna and Dr. Harris’ former student, says the seminar has contributed to the success of the rehabilitation program and has resulted in several students pursuing a career with the Sheriff’s Office after graduation.
This semester, due to the pandemic, students will instead be tasked with creating their own videos on the unique, multifaceted issues veterans face after they return home from active military duty. The video topics will range from coping with their emotions when transitioning to civilian life to how to set boundaries while they're incarcerated. The course will focus on student-inmate collaboration with The Brothers in Arms Program participants evaluating the core project and providing input to the students on what resources they found most helpful in the videos. We’re grateful for Dr. Harris’ ongoing commitment to service-learning, as well as our partnership with my alma mater, UHD.
U.S. House of Representatives Passes Bill to Honor Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal
On Monday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to honor Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal by renaming the post office located at 315 Addicks Howell Rd. in his memory.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of Deputy Dhaliwal’s death, the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office Act serves as a reminder of his lasting contributions to Harris County and his deep, meaningful connections with the community he bravely served.
The men and women of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office who proudly served at his side are grateful to Congresswoman Fletcher and the entire Texas delegation for working to honor Deputy Dhaliwal, a committed public servant who touched countless lives and a pioneer and trailblazer for the Sikh community.
God bless you, and may God bless the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
