By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
The County Courthouse was a place of celebration on January 1. Elected officials, many county residents and representatives of the news media came to the courthouse to watch the swearing-in of the county’s newly elected officials.
Sheriff Jimmy Fullen is one of the newly sworn-in officials.
“It felt great at midnight when I got sworn in,” Fullen said.
Retiring Sheriff Henry Trochesset’s term ended at midnight, and our county did not go without law enforcement leadership for a single second. As the clock struck 12, Fullen became the Galveston County Sheriff.
While he felt great at midnight during his official swearing-in. Sheriff Fullen continued to exude the same excitement at the public swearing-in ceremony held later that day in the jury assembly room at the Galveston County Courthouse.
The room was filled. All seats were taken, and people stood along the walls of the room and in its center aisle. People also waited in the hallway.
Many of the elected officials came with their family and friends to the swearing in ceremony.
Fullen placed his hand on his family Bible, held by his daughter while his mother swore him in. He swore to execute his duties as Galveston County Sheriff and to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of Texas.
While standing up front he spoke briefly to the audience.
“It’s going to be a whole new era in law enforcement,” said Fullen “My guys are going to protect your communities, and it’s just going to be a no-nonsense kind of attitude.”
Fullen euphuized his commitment to serving the people of the county and stated that he will be moving his office downstairs to give residents easier access to their sheriff.
Fullen’s family surrounded him in the room as he was sworn in. Those gathered to support him included his mother, a newborn baby, his adult children and many other extended family members.
Once the sheriff was sworn in, he began his duties by swearing in his staff.
In the jury assembly room, more than 100 deputies and other staff members were sworn in. Their unified voices resounded out as they committed to serve in their roles and uphold the Constitutions of the United States and of Texas. When they finished taking their oaths of office, cheers rang out from the crowd.
The excitement flowed over into a nearby hearing room, where Fullen swore in more deputies and staff. Several more swearing-in ceremonies for the deputies and staff members who had been waiting in the hallway or on duty during the public swearing-in would be held throughout the day.
“There will be just shy of 560 employees sworn in,” Fullen said.
He said that by approximately 11:50 a.m., there were more than 200 who had been sworn in.
Capt. Cagnon of the Galveston County Corrections Division oversaw notarizing each employee’s appointment of duty document, and she was kept very busy. The paper pile grew and grew.
Ushering in a new era of leadership in the sheriff’s office means making some changes. One visible change is the color of the department’s uniforms. Fullen and his deputies will be wearing blue uniforms rather than the green ones of the past.
The Post Newspaper wishes Fullen and his staff members great success as they strive to protect our county and uphold the Constitutions of the United States and Texas.
