Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – Hidalgo County Sheriff J. E. “Eddie” Guerra proudly announces that he is seeking a fourth term in office as the County’s top law enforcement official. Guerra was first elected Sheriff in November 2014 after having been appointed interim Sheriff by Hidalgo County Commissioners Court in April 2014. Guerra was resoundingly re-elected by Hidalgo County voters for a second term in 2016 and a third term in 2020. In the March 2020 Primary Election, Guerra won 63% of the vote, compared to his Democratic opponent who only received 28%. In the November 2020 General Election, Guerra won 68% of the vote; nearly 140,000 voters cast their ballot for him, indicative of the high approval he continues to receive among Hidalgo County residents.
“I am excited to announce my intent to run for re-election for a fourth term as your Hidalgo County Sheriff,” said Guerra. “Hidalgo County residents have entrusted me with this office because they value the diligent work we do to address solutions that contribute to continuously improving our community’s safety, and this is a job I take very seriously,” he continued.
Guerra has established himself as a trusted public servant and has spent his time as Sheriff serving the constituents of Hidalgo County with integrity and accountability. When he first ran for office, Guerra’s focus was on regaining the community’s trust and elevating the ethical standard of the office which had been marred by previous corruption. Since then, Guerra has been focusing on keeping Hidalgo County and its communities safe through community-oriented policing and enhancing partnerships and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, among other strategies that contribute to keeping our South Texas communities safe.
Guerra takes pride in his accomplishments during his nine years as Sheriff, including the creation of the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center, created to serve as a multi-agency central repository of real-time information relating to criminal activity in counties along the Texas-Mexico border; the implementation of the Texas Anti-Gang Center in McAllen, a collaboration to fight gang activity in South Texas; and the implementation of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program to help provide care and support for individuals with mental illness who have become involved with the criminal justice system. Sheriff Guerra and his staff are a constant presence at various community events and programs to foster a positive relationship between the Sheriff’s Office and the community. In recent years, Guerra founded the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Community Foundation, which annually raises funds to provide educational scholarships and assistance to the community. Since 2021, the Foundation has awarded $100,000 in scholarships to Sheriff’s Office employees and their dependents to provide financial assistance in their pursuit of higher education. Each year, the Foundation feeds over 600 families through its Thanksgiving Food Drive, and last year, the Foundation distributed 1800 toys during its annual Christmas Toy Drive.
Guerra’s leadership has not gone unnoticed. He is the former Chair of the Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition, and is the current Chair of the Border Security Committee of the Major County Sheriffs of America Association, a professional law enforcement association of the 100+ largest Sheriff’s offices in the country. Guerra currently serves as Chairman of the Southwestern Border Sheriff’s Coalition and is on the board of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas. Guerra is President of the Board of Managers of the RGV 911 Emergency Communication District. Guerra was the only Sheriff in the state appointed to the Texas Governor’s Domestic Terrorism Task Force. He regularly serves on various local, state, and national panels and presents at conferences, testifies before legislative bodies, and shares his expertise regarding law enforcement legislation, policies, and programs.
Throughout his tenure, Guerra has been recognized for his leadership by various organizations with awards and accolades. In 2022, Guerra was awarded the prestigious Bert Ford Award by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), in recognition of your efforts in promoting cooperation, sharing resources, and community outreach. Guerra has also been recognized as Outstanding Public Official by the Hidalgo County Bar Association, and as Distinguished Democrat by the Hidalgo County Democratic Party.
“These accomplishments could not be possible without the community’s support, collaboration with other agencies, and especially the hard work and dedication of the 879 men and women of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office,” said Guerra.
“The safety and security of our Hidalgo County families remains my highest priority, and I look forward to continue serving our community in this capacity,” Guerra added.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/sheriff.guerra.
