Fisher County Sheriff Simon Wade took the opportunity to present significant changes to the public and county commissioners on Monday, aiming to enhance efficiency and elevate the quality of the law enforcement agency. The announcement was made at the Fisher County Law Enforcement Center.
In his report, newly appointed Sheriff Simon Wade detailed the initiatives he has undertaken in his 34-day tenure. Acknowledging the existing commendable employees within the department, Wade emphasized the importance of diligent efforts to elevate the department's performance and rebuild trust within the community.
“Thank you for appointing me to this position,” said Wade. “I came here asking to take this job. Not for the money, not for the title, but to actually make this county and this sheriff’s department a better place.”
To foster transparency and engagement, Wade revealed his intention to publicly disclose the identities of individuals arrested and incarcerated at the county jail. He also urged the public's assistance in locating individuals with outstanding warrants, seeking community collaboration for enhanced public safety.
“I need your help finding these individuals,” said Wade. “I’m looking for Adrian Fortuna — whoever that is — I know his picture. Now help me find him.”
One of Wade's foremost goals is to augment transparency within the department. In pursuit of this objective, he disclosed the discovery of improperly stored evidence on his second day in office. Wade promptly alerted the district attorney’s office and initiated an external investigation led by the Texas Rangers. He further requested evaluations from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to ensure proper certification adherence among personnel.
Wade highlighted the establishment of a memorandum of agreement with the recently formed law enforcement department at Rotan ISD. Additionally, he unveiled plans to station a deputy at Roby CISD during student drop-off and pick-up times to bolster school safety.
“We’ve proven time and time again that the best deterrent to any major violence is simply presence,” said Wade. “So, my deputies need to be out there.”
Among the noteworthy changes, Wade unveiled an arrangement with Lubbock County pertaining to out-of-county inmates held at Fisher County facilities. Wade outlined his intention to accept 10 inmates from Lubbock County, subsequently granting them 'trustee' status. These inmates will engage in cleanup activities across various county locations, including picking up trash along roadways and tidying the courthouse premises.
“You tell me where we can take a detail of inmates and clean up, and I’ll show you tangible results immediately with that,” said Wade.
Explaining the concept, Wade noted that inmate labor could lead to significant reductions in monetary penalties for corresponding fines. “Money they probably can’t even pay anyway,” said Wade, “but now we can have them out working in the county.”
Commissioner Micah Evans praised the innovative approach Wade had taken, contrasting it favorably with prior agreements rejected by the court. After comprehensive negotiations, the court unanimously approved Wade's agreement with Lubbock County.
Wade affirmed that while the community would witness the fruition of the anticipated work initiatives in the coming months, the initial operational cleanup would center on the grounds of the Fisher County Law Enforcement Center. Once the jail premises were addressed, similar cleanup efforts would extend throughout the county.
As the Fisher County Sheriff's Department sets out on this path of reform, the community anticipates positive changes that will contribute to enhanced law enforcement and public safety.