RINCONES DISSOLVES TRO, GARZA RUNS OFF DEPUTIES, REPLACES THEM WITH HIS SHERIFF DEPT. PERSONNEL

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Even after he had urged the Cameron County Commissioners Court to transfer the supervision, equipment and courthouse security budget from Pct. 2 Constable Abel Gomez and unilaterally rescinded a Memorandum Of Understanding signed by his predecessor, Cameron County Sheriff Garza failed to attend a Zoom meeting Tuesday where the transfer would be discussed and voted upon.

As a result, the commissioners tabled three items that would  transfer courthouse security to the sheriff’s department from the Precinct 2 Constable’s Office, transfer the budget to the sheriff’s department from the Precinct 2 Constable’s Office and transferred and reclassified employees to the sheriff’s department’s from the Precinct 2 Constable’s Office.

But just a few hours later 445th District Court Judge Gloria Rincones dissolved a Temporary Restraining Order preventing Garza from removing or issuing orders to the 15 deputies and court bailiffs under the commissioners' courthouse security budget and he immediately ordered the deputies to leave the courthouse and replaced them with his own personnel.

Rincones also denied the commissioners court’s petition for a temporary injunction against Garza after dissolving a temporary restraining order filed by the commissioners.

Garza claimed though his Office Administrator Rick Cornejo that he had conflicting schedule and would be unable to attend the Zoom meeting of the commissioners court Tuesday.

When Cornejo said he could answer any questions the court had, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño said that since he wasn't the sheriff and not responsible for courthouse security, the commissioners tabled the items.

They then issued an order citing Gomez's performance and his deputies training in courthouse security, active shooter and SWAT training and kept them under the constable.

They, under the state process, ordered all the signators to meet for analysis and consultation to resolve the issues.

The budget under which the 15 deputies are paid is based on a Memorandum Of Understanding signed originally in 2014 by the district and county court at law judges, Human Resources, the commissioners court and former Sheriff Omar Lucio. It was renewed in 2016. 

And a 2017 state law gave the courthouse security option to the commissioners court to provide a budget and trained personnel to implement it. The statute specified that the deputies should be trained and certified in the various areas of  courthouse security. They are also under the rules of Civil Service.

As it stands now, the 15 court-budgeted deputies remain under Gomez's supervision and listed under the commissioners' courthouse security budget and the sheriff will have to provide their replacement.

Rick Cornejo, office administrator for the sheriff’s department, said during the meeting there was a conflict with Garza’s schedule but that he would be available to answer any questions they had. Since Cornejo is not the sheriff or in charge of courthouse security, Commissioners Court chose to table the items instead.

It is unknown if the 15 sheriff department deputies who replaced those funded by the commissioner court are certified in courthouse security, active shooter, and SWAT training as required by the state. It is doubtful, however, since it is Gomez who provides that training, and except for recent two recent hires, all had been trained in the subject matter.

The court set a status hearing for May 25.

"Garza won the argument and Gomez gets the trophy (15 deputies under the courthouse security budget)," said a courthouse administrator. "He just keeps making things worse and worse for himself and his department."