SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Sheriff Sheriff Javier Salazar said strides made during his 3.5-year tenure as the county’s top elected law enforcement official and nearly three decades of experience in law enforcement makes him worthy of being re-elected.
“We’ve confronted every issue head on, and we’ve been openly and honestly dealing with the public and with the media every step of the way,” Salazar said.
Salazar’s opponent, former Bexar County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff criticized Salazar’s abilities, including the fact that several inmates were wrongfully released from jail, several jail escapes and jail suicides.
But Salazar said Rickhoff, who has no law enforcement experience, isn’t equipped with the skills needed for the position.
“He was a mediocre county clerk at best. He lost his last election resoundingly,” Salazar said.
Salazar on Wednesday called Rickhoff’s bid for the position a publicity stunt.
“It seems to me he’s taking it as a joke. And I believe that voters should absolutely be outraged by that sort of thing,” Salazar said.
Salazar is crediting his hands-on experience with the ability to make and continue making much-needed improvements at BCSO.
“We’ve created new units such as the Special Victims Unit, the Public Integrity Unit. We’ve cleared our rape kit backlog. We’ve revolutionized the way we recruit and hire new people into the sheriff’s office,” Salazar said.
Salazar is also proud of a new BSCO program that kicked off on Monday called S.M.A.R.T., which consists of three professionals specially trained to respond to and de-escalate mental health crises.
