FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — The 10th largest county in Texas has elected its first Black sheriff since the Reconstruction era.


What You Need To Know

  • County is home to over 800,000 people just outside of the city of Houston, one of the most diverse areas in the state

  • Eric Fagan, a 30-year Fort Bend County resident, is now sheriff of Fort Bend County.

  • Earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice at Prairie View A&M University, where he graduated number one in his class.

  • During a 31-year tenure with the Houston Police Department, Fagan was a three-time winner of the prestigious Officer of the Year Award

Fort Bend County is home to over 800,000 people just outside of the Lone Star state’s most populous city of Houston, and one of the most diverse areas in the state. And yet, it’s been 151 years since Fort Bend had a Black person hold the title of sheriff. That changed on November 3, 2020.

Eric Fagan, a 30-year Fort Bend County resident, is now sheriff of Fort Bend County. On January 1, 2021, Fagan became the 43rd sheriff of the county.

 

Throughout the month, Fort Bend community leaders will unleash the imaginations of children through the power of reading and storytelling, featuring children's books written by Black authors.

Posted by Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, February 3, 2021

According to the sheriff’s website, Fagan holds high accolades from Prairie View A&M University, an HBCU located just 50 miles north of Fort Bend County. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice there, where he graduated number one in his class. He also earned a Master of Science degree in juvenile forensic psychology.

Fagan’s honorable streak of success followed him into his career as a police officer. During a 31-year tenure with the Houston Police Department, Fagan was a three-time winner of the prestigious Officer of the Year Award. The sheriff also served as president of the African American Police Officer’s League, where he was named president emeritus because of his leadership and ability to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the citizens they serve.

He also made an impression while working in the Internal Affairs Division in the Alternative Dispute Resolution section, serving as a mediator/facilitator. Fagan mediated over 200 cases with a 100 percent rate of agreement between the parties.

 

Sheriff Eric Fagan was featured on WFAA's Y'Allitics where he shared his personal experience with racial profiling,...

Posted by Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, February 2, 2021

According to Fagan’s website, a focus on mediation is part of his 7-point plan. He also intends to tackle community outreach and domestic violence response.

As Houston diversifies its political gage, the sheriff also worked closely with Houston’s second Black mayor, Sylvester Turner, on protection detail. This opportunity allowed Fagan to connect with world leaders, government officials from different municipalities and plan for catastrophic events that occurred in the city of Houston.

With regards to large-scale security and intelligence, Fagan also gained experience working closely with several agencies including the FBI and Homeland Security during Super Bowl LI.

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