SAN ANTONIO -- Starting Wednesday at 9 a.m. Bexar County Commissioners will begin interviewing people who want to be the next constable in Precinct 2.
- Originally 29 applicants
- Five people will be interviewed
- Candidates will be vetted by Bexar County staff
The list of 29 original applicants has been slimmed down to five.
"Obviously this individual is going to fight tooth and nail however that doesn't stop us from going through the process of selecting a future constable," said Precinct 3 Commissioner Kevin Wolff.
Wolff was talking about the temporary restraining order filed by Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela on Monday.
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Despite a hearing scheduled for October 11, commissioners can still move forward in selecting who that replacement would be. We asked the Precinct 2 Commissioner, Justin Rodriguez, what he's looking for. Rodriguez said several applicants have worked in constable offices, there is a former elected Precinct 2 Constable, along with a former sheriff who have put their names in the running.
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Rodriguez believes they have a good applicant pool, but there's always more to see than what's on paper.
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"But we like to see in person how they interview, how they come across, talk a little bit more what's not on the paper in terms of their leadership style and ability. So I just think overall someone who has got the experience, the maturity, and the leadership background to make sure that we have a well-rounded constable's office," Rodriguez said.
The list of applicants, in alphabetical order, is as follows:
- Donald Falcon
- Javier Flores
- Mary Ruiz
- Leticia Vasquez
- Debra L. Zerda
Candidates will be vetted by County staff and may be disqualified for a number of reasons including, but not limited to, not currently living in Precinct 2, convicted of a felony, or cannot secure a Texas Peace Officer license.
On Wednesday, Commissioners Court will convene in a special session at 9 a.m. in the Double Height Courtroom in the Bexar County Courthouse to interview and select a final candidate. All interviews will be conducted in open session and will be livestreamed on the Bexar County website.
Although a temporary restraining order was issued on Tuesday, this does not preclude Commissioners Court from moving forward on selecting candidates for potential interviews and making a selection on Wednesday. A hearing on the temporary injunction will be held on Friday, October 11, 2019.
Any questions concerning pending litigation should be referred to the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s office.