Our entire Sheriff’s Office family is saddened by the heartbreaking loss of our brother, Deputy Alexander Gwosdz. We came together on Wednesday with his close circle of loved ones to pay tribute to a beloved son, brother, and remarkable public servant.
Deputy Gwosdz was looking forward to dedicating his life to protecting and serving our communities. He knew early on he wanted to earn the badge and wear this uniform. He came from a family of public servants. His father, Deputy Chris Gwosdz, who was an auto theft investigator, retired from the Sheriff’s Office last year after 34 years of service. His sister, Catherine, serves as a jailer with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Gwosdz joined our agency in 2012 as a detention officer in the Harris County Jail. Two years later, he took a leap in fulfilling his dreams by graduating from our training academy. He served as a patrol deputy in northwest Harris County, patrolling the very neighborhoods where he grew up and lived.
He also was a member of our High-Water Rescue Team. These critical team members respond to rescue calls during flooding events and have completed rigorous swift water training. They monitor and prepare for the worst-case scenario and encourage our residents to do the same.
In 2017, during Hurricane Harvey, Deputy Gwosdz was in our communities on a high-water rescue vehicle. For those of us who lived through it, we’ll never forget Hurricane Harvey’s destruction and devastation. He was there for his neighbors and teammates through it all.
Deputy Gwosdz’s profound impact on those who knew him was evident in the many stories and memories shared over the past week. He was remembered for his endless love for his job and immense pride in helping others.
His Patrol District 5 teammates described their relationship as a close-knit family and brotherhood. They always looked out for each other.
Deputy Aguilar and Deputy Ticas, who were his training academy classmates, recalled a time when they responded to a call for service involving an armed suspect inside a residence. Together, the deputies safely made their way into the home and deescalated the situation without any incident. They trusted each other with their lives.
Deputy Gwosdz never hesitated to take appropriate action. Reserve Deputy Wilson, who also graduated from the training academy with him, will never forget his partner helping a shooting victim stay calm. He applied pressure to her gunshot wound until EMS arrived, and Deputy Wilson worked to clear the house.
Deputy Gwosdz was the type of person who continuously challenged himself. In 2019, he and Deputy Wilson completed the Spartan Race, one of the most grueling stretches of obstacle courses an athlete can take on. It’s as much a mental feat as it is a physical one.
Deputy Gwosdz represented the very best among us. He possessed all the values you could want in a peace officer: compassionate, hardworking, honest, and kind. People cared for him well beyond his work here at the Sheriff’s Office.
His passing reminds us of the dangers of this virus and the importance of banding together to do everything we can to fight it. Deputy Gwosdz had his whole life ahead of him. Our law enforcement personnel in our communities and inside the jail are at risk of being exposed every day. They’re on the front lines. This marks the fifth teammate to die after contracting the virus.
We will keep Deputy Gwosdz and his family in our hearts. Your brothers and sisters in blue have the watch from here.