Our Sheriff’s Office family came together today to celebrate the life of Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez Jr. We were joined by his circle of loved ones and our extended law enforcement family to remember a remarkable public servant, husband, father, and friend.
There are few undertakings so noble as the protection of your community. Sgt. Gutierrez did just that, dedicating his life to serving others.
Twenty years ago, he began his law enforcement career as a detention officer at the Harris County Jail. After a year of helping manage the custody and care of those inside the largest jail in Texas, he entered Basic Peace Officer Course Training at our academy.
For Ramon, becoming a peace officer was not simply starting a new job in law enforcement, but the first step into a long career in public service.
While at our training academy, Sgt. Gutierrez earned the nickname Guts. His eagerness to be a team player and get the job done carried over to every role he held in our agency.
He spent the last 13 years, the bulk of his time with our agency, in the Vehicular Crimes Division. This is where he truly thrived. He was a committed accident investigator, a niche in the law enforcement field. He had a clear understanding of the nature of the job, and all its complexities, which is fundamental to becoming successful in traffic investigations.
And in his latest assignment, he was a committed sergeant to the investigators who worked for him. He provided investigators with the necessary guidance and intellectual grounding they needed to be the best. He shared vast amounts of knowledge and years of experience with his teammates, always encouraging them to apply their extensive training to their jobs.
Sgt. Gutierrez’s passion for safe roadways set the bar in DWI enforcement. His commitment was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and through several awards, including a Unit Commendation. He treated each crash investigation with equal vigor.
Sgt. Gutierrez not only demonstrated high DWI arrest numbers but also acted as a leader and motivator to his team. He was a difference-maker in every sense of the word. As a supervisor, Sgt. Gutierrez was a hands-on practitioner who enjoyed working alongside his troops. He didn’t shy away from rolling up his sleeves to secure and investigate an active scene.
It wasn’t uncommon for him to step in and do whatever was needed to help, whether it was conducting a field sobriety test, taking photographs of evidence, or helping map all the pieces together on a complex crash site. He always led from the front.
As a bilingual deputy, he brought comfort to Spanish-speaking residents during their greatest time of need. He was patient, compassionate, and everything you could ask for in a public servant.
As peace officers, we know a big part of community policing is spending time outside of our patrol cars. It’s about bonding with the residents you serve. Sgt. Gutierrez had a special way of reaching people and making connections with them. We were truly blessed to have him among our ranks.
Outside of his uniform, he was a devoted husband and father. It was hard to get through a conversation with him without him pulling out the latest photos of his family. Or talking about what was happening with his kids. He would beam with immense pride when he thought about them.
Some will say he left this world the same way he lived, faithfully carrying out his duties and taking care of his family.
Imagine what our agency would be – and what policing in this country would be – if everyone who walked through our doors had Sgt. Gutierrez’s dedication, grit, and compassion.
That’s the goal. To match that sense of devotion to our job and profession.
Please continue to pray that Sgt. Ramirez’s family finds comfort in knowing how many lives he touched. Every prayer and positive thought will lift his family and makes our agency stronger. It exemplifies what community is all about – leaning on each other during challenging times.