Kerr County's Paul Gonzales Among 2% of Texas Constables to Finish Leadership Institute

Kerr County Constable (Pct. 3) Paul Gonzales has now done something that only 2% of all the constables in Texas have succeeded in doing – completing the Texas Constables Leadership College.

Gonzales graduated from the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) as part of Class No. 18. It is an intense training course conducted under the auspices of the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

The program is an in-depth, educational endeavor that is progressive and challenging, providing thorough investigations of issues facing law enforcement. It also offers growth and development of leadership and management skills.

In the graduating class, which was recognized on Friday, Oct. 27, Gonzales was one of 23 participants, who shared a collective law enforcement history of 468 years of experience and hailed from 15 Texas counties and 20 precincts.

Gonzales was lauded for his accomplishment by the Kerr County Commissioners’ Court during its Nov. 13 meeting.

Participation in the program for the local constable came at no charge to local taxpayers. He applied in May 2022 and, after being accepted, his participation was broken up into three modules equaling 100 hours of instruction.

The class gathered for face-to-face sessions for several days during each of the modules held in January, April and October. While not in the classroom, classmates were responsible for individually completing in-depth and complex lesson plans and research assignments/papers.

Topics covered included: leadership portfolios, team building, conflict resolution and navigation of difficult conversations, promoting personal leadership development, community engagement, decision-making values, leadership challenges and a challenge course, internal affairs investigations, the promotion of ethics and ethical decisions, business etiquette, media relations/PIO training, communication skills and a mock commissioners’ court.

The program, which is limited to constables and upper management of constables’ offices who have at least 5 years of experience, offers up to 100 hours of continuing law enforcement education credits.

Under the direction of the 73rd Texas Legislature in 1993, the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas permanently was affixed with the name of State Rep. Bill Blackwood (R-Mesquite).

Blackwood, a graduate of Texas A&M University, served in the Texas Legislature from 1984-1993, and throughout he was a staunch supporter of law enforcement. In 1987, he sponsored the legislation that created the institute itself and, in 1991, he sponsored legislation providing death benefits for families of police officers killed in the line of duty.

The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas is committed to providing exceptional education, professional development and service to the law enforcement community in order to enhance the ethical advancement of Texas law enforcement and inspire excellence in leadership.