About Adrian Garcia

Adrian Garcia has the experience, knowledge and integrity to hit the ground running as Harris County’s new Sheriff. Adrian enters this election with 23 years of law enforcement experience and six years as a Houston City Councilman. Adrian Garcia is, without a doubt, the person to refocus the Sheriff’s office on serving the public and restore trust in the county’s primary law enforcement agency.

As a veteran police officer, Adrian Garcia put his life on the line to protect our community. His dedication was recognized by former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier who appointed Adrian to the position of HPD’s liaison to the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office. In 1999, Adrian was named Director of this anti-gang effort.

Aside from the vital work Adrian did as a Houston police officer, he was retained as a consultant for the U.S. State Department to evaluate law enforcement and policing programs in Central America. He has also repeatedly served as a panelist on Harvard University’s Criminal Justice Project. No other candidate in the Sheriff’s race can compare with this experience.

Currently, Adrian Garcia serves as Mayor Pro-Tempore under Bill White. His time on City Council has been a success for both Adrian and the City of Houston. Adrian has been a tireless advocate for the homeless and has worked extensively on housing issues. He serves on committees, such as the Transportation, Infrastructure and Aviation Committee and the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, which have given him administrative experience that will be relevant to his job as Sheriff.

In short, Adrian Garcia is the candidate to keep our community safe and return fairness and integrity to the Sheriff’s office. But he needs your support. Please join us in helping Adrian become the next Sheriff of Harris County.

Successes as Council Member of District H

Shutting down more than 8 nuisance bars that have affected the quality of life of neighborhoods in his district. In response, he passed the 300ft. Alcohol-Free Zone ordinance that now provides qualifying Day Care Centers with a 300ft. alcohol-free zone. For his work to protect Day Cares, the Houston Area Association for the Education of Young Children recognized him as the "2005 Elected Official of the Year".

He continued his fight against violent criminal street gangs by creating the Criminal Street Gang Enforcement and Intelligence Division for HPD.

Council Member Garcia also formed the Near Northside Healthy Community Partnership , to coordinate service delivery between the city's Health Department and non-profit health care organizations. He also implemented the "Don't Wait Vaccinate - Viva La Vacuna" campaign to encourage early immunization of school-age children.

In April 2005, Council Member Garcia took action in his district against the problem of graffiti, weeded lots, and street flooding due to clogged gutters and culverts, by developing the "Community Alliance for Responsibility, Empowerment and Safety" program, which he refers to as "District H - CARES" . This program, unique to a council office, involves one employee to oversee low-level adult offenders who perform court-ordered community service. To date, this program has cut over 50-weeded lots; filled hundreds of 30-gallon size trash bags with garbage taken from gutters and ditches; and abated graffiti off of numerous sites of private and public property.

He developed plan and passed the ordinance that will help participating building owners of private buildings, such as high-rise buildings and malls, keep their structural plans from being accessed by domestic or international terrorists. This ordinance is being promoted nationally as a model to help private building owners fight possible terroristic attacks.