Bexar County Sheriff-elect Susan Pamerleau is using the final days of December to gather her executive team so they can hit the ground running on new year's day.
On Monday, at her second press conference since the election, Pamerleau announced she would retain Chief Deputy Manuel Longoria.
"He provides great continuity," she said. "Besides that, he’s a man of integrity, he cares about the officers, he cares about this community. He’s got the right sight picture and I know that already he and I are working great together."
Pamerleau said that after winning the election she learned there are 10 executive positions in the budget for her to fill. She has already appointed about half of them and is extending a national search to fill the remaining slots.
Pamerleau said the sheriff’s department needs a strong leadership team to manage the department’s $105 million budget and 1,700 employees, and also guide the department's direction over the next few years.
"There are 250,000 people who live outside the city limits. In just five years, that number will grow to 400,000. So if we’re not ready with a strategic plan and how we’re going to address those increases, we won’t be ready to provide public safety that is critical to this community," Pamerleau said.
Pamerleau will be sworn in at midnight on New Year’s Day.
