Archives > Celina Record > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
New elected officials sworn in: County welcomes three new constables
Kelsey Kruzich / Staff Photo - Joe Wright, pictured, was elected constable after serving with the Collin County Sheriff’s Office. While he has not worked as a constable’s deputy in Collin County, he does have 13 years of experience as a deputy constable in Harris County.
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
Fourteen newly elected county officials were sworn into office Wednesday at the Collin County Courthouse.
Among the officials were the four county constables, three of which are new to their positions. Even with the turnover, longtime Precinct 2 Constable Joe Barton, who represents the eastern third of the county, said things should continue to run smoothly.
“I don’t think having new people will alter anything,” he said. “For years, we had such stability in all four offices before having this sudden change. I think these men are going to be in office for many years.”
Knapp retired in 2009 after 37 years as a law enforcement officer, including 29 at Plano PD. After retiring, he decided to go back to work for the county, a position he held until being elected constable in November.
“We are not going to reinvent the wheel, we are just going to carry on and tweak a few things to provide more efficient services,” said Knapp, who represents central and eastern Plano, as well as Allen. “We are now going to step in and assume the same position and responsibilities so we can serve the taxpayers.”
Williams, whose precinct includes much of McKinney, pointed to work in both Fannin and Dallas counties, including a stint under Constable Michael Gothard in Dallas. He said each county is different, but he has picked up things along the way that should help him in his new position.
“We are going to make sure we streamline everything so we can save money for the taxpayers,” Knapp said. “We need to be able to work with the District Clerk and County Clerk to find better technology that will allow us to do our job better. I have seen what works in other counties, and while we will still make mistakes, we will learn from them and move forward.”
The third newcomer is Joe Wright, who was elected after serving with the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, during which time he was also the president of the Collin County Deputies Association. While he has not worked as a constable’s deputy in Collin County, he does have 13 years of experience as a deputy constable in Harris County.
“I helped with campaigning when I worked in Harris County and really got interested in politics,” said Wright, who represents Frisco and Celina, as well as the western portions of Plano and McKinney. “When I got the opportunity here, the timing was right. I have been in law enforcement for more than 25 years, so I am not a politician that is getting into law enforcement. I am a police officer that has to be a politician to do this job.
“I am not sure what the transition will be like because I am new at this. But I look forward to working with the other constables so we have continuity among our departments, while also increasing efficiency, cutting costs and providing better services.”
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
