Message from Sheriff Ed Gonzalez – Beyond the Call: How HCSO Is Building a Safer Community
Visit the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homepage
Visit the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homepage
Message from Sheriff Ed Gonzalez:
April is Autism Awareness Month — and for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, it’s a reminder that serving this community means serving every member of it.
Through three powerful programs, HCSO is working every day to ensure that individuals with autism, dementia, and other cognitive conditions are met with compassion, preparation, and care — not confusion or fear.
Project Guardian — Preparing Deputies Before the Call
When a deputy responds to a call involving someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the difference between a difficult encounter and a safe one can come down to a single detail — knowing how that person communicates, what triggers them, and what helps them feel calm.
Project Guardian gives families the power to share that information in advance. Free, voluntary, and completely confidential, the program allows caregivers to provide deputies with personalized details so they can respond with greater awareness and care.
Since its launch, Project Guardian has received 570 applications, with 447 individuals currently registered. HCSO has also helped two other law enforcement agencies build their own programs — because this work matters far beyond Harris County.
Looking ahead, HCSO is expanding Project Guardian to include caregiver support groups, safety education, school and senior facility outreach, and improved training and response procedures.
Project Lifesaver — Finding Those Who Wander
For families of individuals who may wander due to autism, Alzheimer’s, dementia, or traumatic brain injury, every minute matters. Project Lifesaver gives them peace of mind.
Participants wear a small radio-frequency bracelet that allows specially trained deputies to locate them quickly and bring them home safely. To date, HCSO has located 1,186 individuals and trained 537 officers in the program’s specialized techniques.
In January 2026, deputies used Project Lifesaver to locate a vulnerable elderly participant who had wandered — ensuring a safe and rapid reunion with their family.
🎥 Learn more: Meet Deputy Ashley Schubert, Our Project Lifesaver Coordinator
Take Me Home Program — Responding with Compassion and Accuracy
The Take Me Home Program helps deputies respond to elderly individuals with dementia or other conditions that may cause them to become lost.
Families register important details — communication preferences, past wandering locations, de-escalation techniques, and recent photos — securely linked to an address so deputies can act quickly and with confidence. To date, 9 participants have been safely returned home through this program.
🎥 Learn more: HCSO Introduces the Take Me Home Program to Aid Residents with Cognitive Conditions
A message from Sgt. Powell:
“One of our top priorities is encouraging families who haven’t yet enrolled to register their loved ones. These programs are vital safety resources, especially for individuals who may be vulnerable. We also remind families to stay engaged — monitoring equipment, performing routine maintenance, and checking batteries — to ensure the program works effectively when it matters most.”
These programs are more than services. They are a promise — that every person in Harris County will be seen, understood, and brought home safely.
For more information or to register: harriscountycit.org/programs.
Beyond the Badge: The Story Behind the Beeping Egg Hunt
In 2019, a small group of bomb technicians had a simple idea: use the skills they’d learned building devices to build something completely different — joy.
On March 30, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad continued what has quietly become one of the most beloved traditions in the agency — the Annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt for children with visual impairments.
Where it started
It began in a small classroom at Crosby ISD. A handful of bomb technicians, inspired by similar programs across the country, handcrafted a set of eggs that emit sound — allowing children to locate them through auditory cues rather than sight. No fanfare. No press release. Just deputies who saw a need and decided to fill it.
“This is something we started using a skill set learned as bomb technicians and never realized it would have such an impact,” said Deputy Erik Barron, who led this year’s event.
How it grew
After a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was revived through a partnership with Conroe ISD — made possible by Special Education staff member Allison Griffith, whose passion for inclusion helped bring the event back to life. Since 2023, the program has continued to grow, now welcoming around 20 students and their siblings from across the district.
On event day, HCSO provides the handcrafted beeping eggs while Conroe ISD fills the space with additional eggs and treats. At the end of the hunt, each child takes a beeping egg home — a small but meaningful reminder that they were seen, celebrated, and included.
“It means a lot when she (his daughter) gets to come out here, be with other kids, and participate in the egg hunt,” one parent shared.
What makes it extraordinary
Every single egg is built by hand. Every component is purchased out of the team’s own pockets. There is no sponsor, no budget line, and no requirement. Just deputies who show up — year after year — because they believe every child deserves the magic of an Easter egg hunt.
One family shared something that has stayed with the team ever since: a sibling who could see perfectly chose to put on a blindfold during the hunt — just to understand what her sister experienced. That moment said more than any award or recognition ever could.
What’s next
The team is actively working to expand the program — building more beeping eggs and growing their inventory so even more children can participate in future events. What started as a technical exercise has evolved into one of the most powerful examples of community connection this agency has to offer.
The HCSO Bomb Squad doesn’t just protect Harris County. Some days, they make it a little more magical.
HCSO In the News
HOUSTON – The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the unexpected death of longtime Deputy Melvin Foster.
Ed Gonzalez said Foster’s passing came as a shock.
“Melvin was an incredible man and public servant,” Gonzalez said. “He leaves behind a strong legacy.”
Foster served Harris County for nearly 15 years.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A 5-year-old child drowned in a neighbor’s pool in the Cloverleaf area on Monday, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, deputies responded to the 900 block of Nancy Rose Street around 12:20 p.m. in the 900 block of Nancy Rose Street on Monday. According to officials, the 5-year-old child reportedly left the house unattended.
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Teammates of the Week
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Teammate of the Week: Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the HCSO highlight exceptional teammates who serve others above and beyond their duties. We regularly receive positive emails, thank you notes, and phone calls from the community.
HCSO Teammate of the Week: Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office proudly recognize Deputy Larry Norman.
A Harris County resident recently shared:
“Deputy Norman, you can tell, loves his job. My family had an altercation, and I called the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Norman was the officer who responded to the call. He was calm, gentle, and very professional. He actually made it feel to me like the misunderstanding was being resolved by a family member. My greetings to them for making our neighborhood safe. Thanks”
Deputy Norman has been part of the HCSO family for over two years and began his law enforcement career in 2015. Currently serving in the Vehicle Crimes Division as a Crash Investigator.
Thank you, Deputy Norman, for your service, your heart, and for making Harris County a safer, more connected community — one call at a time.
HCSO Teammate of the Week: Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office proudly recognize Deputy Tashondra Locks.
A Harris County resident recently shared:
“Deputy Locks worked the case tirelessly — almost 24 hours — to retrieve a French bulldog that was the only thing left of a family that lost their mother. She said she couldn’t stop until she got that dog home. I’ve never had anyone go out of their way like this, especially not a police officer. She showed me compassion and the true meaning of duty. The world needs to know that there are a lot of good officers — you just have to open your eyes and look.”
Deputy Locks joined the HCSO family in January 2024 as part of a Lateral Class, bringing with her a law enforcement career that began in 2018. In just a short time on the Copperfield Contract, she has already demonstrated exactly what it means to serve with heart.
When she learned that a stolen French bulldog was the last connection a family had to their late mother, Deputy Locks refused to let the case go. She worked nearly 24 hours straight — tracking down leads, making calls, and ultimately convincing the right people to do the right thing — until that dog was safely home.
That is not just dedication. That is compassion in action.
Thank you, Deputy Locks. You didn’t just return a dog. You restored a family’s last piece of someone they loved. Harris County is proud to call you one of our own.
Join our HCSO Family!
Are you ready to serve Harris County? Join us at our Detention Officer Career Fair!
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
5749 South Loop East, Houston, TX 77033
Show up, apply, and take the exam — all in one day! Walk-in applications accepted starting at 8:00 a.m. Testing begins at 8:30 a.m. Last walk-ins accepted at 1:30 p.m.
This is your opportunity to start a meaningful career protecting and serving the people of Harris County. Don’t wait — spots fill fast!
HCSO 2025 Annual Report
One Year. One Mission. One Harris County.
Under the leadership of Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the HCSO 2025 Annual Report captures the dedication, sacrifice, and excellence of our deputies, detention officers, and professional staff — the people who show up for Harris County every single day.
Read the full report HERE and see what a year of service looks like.
Welcome to HCSO!
They answered the call. Now they wear the uniform.
Congratulations to our newest HCSO Detention Officers! Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the HCSO family couldn’t be prouder to welcome you to the team
Feeling inspired? Your opportunity is coming. Join us at our Detention Officer Career Fair!
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 | 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
5749 South Loop East, Houston, TX 77033
Show up, apply & take the exam — all in one day!
2026 Peace Officers’ Memorial Service
Behind every badge is a person — a parent, a partner, a friend — who chose to serve knowing the risks. This April 30th, we pause to say their names, honor their memory, and hold their families close in our hearts.
Join Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the HCSO family at the 2026 Peace Officers’ Memorial Service.
Thursday, April 30 | 7:00 p.m.
Dave Ward Building Crime Stoppers of Houston | 3001 Main St.
They will never be forgotten.
Honoring Deputy Melvin Foster
On March 26, we honored one of our own. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the HCSO family held a Cordon of Honor for our beloved teammate, Deputy Melvin Foster — a 15-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, a former Dallas Cowboy, a Rose Bowl participant, and most importantly, a devoted father, grandfather, and public servant.
Deputy Foster was surrounded by the brothers and sisters in blue who loved him. Melvin was more than a deputy. He was a champion — on the field, in the community, and in the lives of everyone who had the honor of knowing him.
