When Hill County Sheriff Hunter Barnes and his administrative team walked into the sheriff’s office in the early hours of New Year’s Day, they didn’t experience the first-day jitters normally associated with a new workplace.
“You would think having a new job or a new title you’d have a little bit of nervousness,” said Chief Deputy Tim Westmoreland. “I just feel like I walked back into my own house.”
The Hill County Sheriff’s Office is familiar territory for Sheriff Barnes and most of his staff. Barnes worked under former sheriffs Brent Button and Jeff Lyon. Westmoreland, Operations Captain Adam Sowder III, Patrol Lieutenant Jeff Aguirre and Jail Captain Shane Brassell also previously worked at the sheriff’s office.
Barnes got his start in law enforcement by taking night classes while working at the Ellis County Jail. He went on to work for police departments in Milford, Itasca and Hubbard before joining the Hill County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). He later went to Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, where he started out as a patrol deputy before joining the training division and training other law enforcement officers in the area.
The sheriff won his primary race against incumbent Rodney Watson last March and was uncontested in November’s general election. “I lived here still, and something just told me that this was the right time,” Barnes said of his decision to run for sheriff. “Just talking to folks and hearing how they thought maybe it could be better — I thought maybe it could be better and maybe I had that opportunity to make it better.”
The sheriff focused on having a strong team in place to guide the staff as soon as he took office. “I’ve learned that you put together a good administrative team and trust them in their ability to do their job,” he said.
Barnes said that it was a priority to have an experienced, educated lieutenant for each division to handle any questions that arise.
His number two in command is Westmoreland, who in the past has served as sergeant, lieutenant, commander, interim operations commander and headed up the Criminal Investigations Division at HCSO. In Ellis County, he worked in the criminal investigations, internal affairs and professional standards divisions.
Sowder, Aguirre and Criminal Investigations Division Lieutenant Bobby Gray also bring years of law enforcement experience to the office.
Prior to taking the reins at the jail, Captain Brassell served as Hill County Precinct 2 justice of the peace. He began serving in that role in 2015 and was a sheriff’s deputy in Hill County prior to holding elected office.
“I trust every one of them, and there is no doubt in my mind that they know what they are doing,” Barnes said of his administrative team.
Most of the HCSO staff has stayed in place under the new administrative team. Barnes said that there were only two employees he did not retain, and two others resigned.
“Everybody has a real positive attitude,” the sheriff said. “They just wanted some assurance that if they did everything the right way we were going to back them up, and if you do everything the right way we will back you up.”
One of the changes Barnes wants to implement fairly quickly is reinstating HCSO’s ability to conduct its own law enforcement training, which would be beneficial to both deputies and other Hill County law enforcement agencies.
“Training is a big thing for me, so we’re going to try to get that in place as quickly as possible,” said Barnes.
The current staff is qualified to conduct the training, but the county needs to regain Texas Commission on Law Enforcement approval to be a contract provider.
“It will bring Hill County and the sheriff’s office back to the forefront of training for local law enforcement,” said Westmoreland. “We won’t have to send people out of county anymore for training and keep paying other agencies and spending gas and wear and tear on cars to have someone else train our people.”
While the new sheriff won’t be able to put his budget in place until the county’s next fiscal year begins in October, Barnes said that he is comfortable that his team can work within their budget. “You’re going to find that we’re pretty conservative on our spending,” he said. “If we don’t have to buy it, we’re not going to.”
The sheriff said that he hopes voters give him a chance to do the job for more than one term.
“This office is going to be run with transparency from the time we get here to the time we leave, and I hope it’s several terms,” said Barnes. “It’s going to take a while to get our ideas and our management style in place and operating to see the full effect.”
He and Westmoreland said that they are appreciative of the acceptance they have received from local residents and the sheriff’s office staff, and they are honored to be doing the job.
“These are our homes — we have a deep tie to the local community,” Westmoreland said. “You’re serving people that you know personally. You’re serving your own family and friends. Being able to work and serve in our home counties to me is a really big deal and it gives a deep meaning and purpose to my professional life in law enforcement.”
“It’s a big honor,” Barnes said.
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