Havard announces bid for Newton County Sheriff
Greetings,
My name is Colton Havard. After much thought, prayer, and community encouragement, I would like to formally announce my candidacy for Newton County Sheriff. I am a conservative Republican who grew up in the Trout Creek Community of Newton County and I currently reside there with my wife and two beautiful children.
I started my career in 2014 as a correctional officer with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. While working there, I attended the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Academy. After graduation from the academy, I was hired as a police officer by the City of Newton Police Department where I remained for three years. I then served as a patrol officer with the Lumberton Police Department and in 2019 I was offered a position with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. I started as a patrol deputy and was then promoted to the rank of Sergeant, serving as a Patrol Supervisor. I have since been promoted to the Criminal Investigations Division and am currently serving as a Detective and Public Information Officer.
As a supervisor and criminal investigator, I have led and/or participated in numerous high-profile investigations ranging from narcotics trafficking to homicide investigations. In 2017, while employed with the Newton Police Department, I was appointed to serve on the Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force as a Special United States Marshal where I was able to foster great working relationships with federal and state law enforcement agencies.
On January 1, 2021, I took the oath of office as Precinct 1 Constable in Newton County. I currently hold a dual peace officer commission in Newton and Orange Counties. While holding this office, I have been an active member of the Trout Creek Volunteer Fire Department and have implemented a community service program to do my part in keeping our county beautiful. I have managed a budget and successfully obtained several grants to fund training at no cost to the citizens of the county. It has been my goal, since being elected Constable, to provide the citizens of Newton County with a law enforcement service they can depend on, which includes timely responses and proven results. I have taken an aggressive stance on combating narcotics distribution and trafficking in our area and will continue to do so county-wide.
Throughout my career, the citizens of my jurisdiction have always been my first priority. I believe understanding the concerns of the community and utilizing common sense and effective communication skills are the main tenets of success in public service and law enforcement. I will use this same focus as your Sheriff and pledge to maintain an open-door policy at the Sheriff’s Office.
Further, I will strive to provide a quality law enforcement service that will be successful in preventing narcotics and criminal activity. This would include deputies actively patrolling your neighborhoods, responding to calls for service in a timely and professional manner, and conducting thorough follow-up investigations. My goal is to build a team of deputies who are mentally and physically prepared to serve Newton County and to give them the equipment and training they need to be successful.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime at 409-289-6294. It would be an honor to earn your vote in the upcoming election.
Respectfully,
Colton Havard
