Message from Sheriff Ed Gonzalez – Honoring Those Who Gave the Ultimate Sacrifice

In honor of Memorial Day, our team members visited the Houston National Cemetery to place 839 American flags on the graves of past service members and to pay our respects to our fallen heroes. We solemnly unite in remembrance and appreciation of those who gave their lives for our nation.

It was an important reminder of the neighbors and loved ones we’ve lost and a moment to salute their legacy and ultimate sacrifice. We paused to reflect on the distinguished history of our armed forces and the battles – even those well beyond war – our country’s veterans endured for the opportunities we have today.

As a tribute to the fallen service men and women and their families across our communities, a bugler from the Sherriff’s Office Honor Guard sounded the moving music of Taps, a solemn and emotional signal of mourning and what Memorial Day is all about.

Houston has one of the largest veteran populations in the nation, with more than 300,000 military veterans calling our community home. Veterans are our neighbors, our colleagues, and our leaders. They represent and embody everything we should aspire to be – resilient and service-minded. Their stories and experiences inspire others to give back with pride.

At the Sheriff’s Office, we also honor the many military veterans in our agency who continue to serve their communities. Veterans are represented in various roles, sworn and civilian, and at all levels of the agency. We benefit greatly from their wealth of experience and commitment to teamwork and serving others.

We empower our veterans and foster a supportive culture for them. Our Office of Military Relations provides a wide range of support to our team members who are current military service members and veterans, as well as those in our larger community who served their country.

As an agency, we’re always searching for ways to better support those who served, implementing department policies, procedures, and programs that equip them with a strong support system and a holistic approach to meeting their needs. Every veteran receives a welcome packet from our Office of Military Relations with valuable agency resources and contacts that will help them fulfill their military service or make their transition easier. We also work collaboratively with community partners, such as Combined Arms and the Travis Manion Foundation, to facilitate access to additional services. If you’re looking to make a difference, learn more about our career opportunities here. We’re grateful for the veterans in our ranks and their countless contributions to the Sheriff’s Office.

This Memorial Day weekend, and all year long, we celebrate our country’s true heroes who have fought and sacrificed for our liberty and freedom. We owe them an enduring debt of gratitude.

God bless you, and God bless the Sheriff’s Office.

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