Lubbock County commissioners accept precinct 4 constable's resignation
Lubbock County commissioners on Monday voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Tony Jackson from the office of the Precinct 4 Constable, kicking off a month-long process of appointing a candidate to serve the office's unexpired term.
Lubbock County Judge Curtis Parrish said a posting for an interim constable for the precinct will be issued sometime this week.
Jackson, who has served as the constable of the precinct since 2018, submitted his letter of resignation on Sept. 20. He ran opposed in the 2020 elections and his most recent term expires on Dec. 31, 2024,
His resignation will be effective Oct. 4.
Parrish said the county will accept applications until Oct. 27, after which the commissioner's court will take time to interview candidates and check their backgrounds.
"There's been several people that have indicated that they're interested in the position," Parrish said.
In the meantime, the Lubbock County Sheriff's office will take on some of the duties for the precinct.
"They'll come up with kind of a plan for coverage starting next week," Parrish said.
Under Texas law the requirements to apply or run for constable include:
Residence in the district for at least six consecutive months
An active or inactive peace officer license.
Not have been finally convicted of a felony from which they have not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities
Not have been determined by a court with probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote
Jackson was not present at Monday's meeting. Precinct 4 Commissioner Jordan Rackler expressed his gratitude for Jackson's service.
"I would just like to say thank you to Tony Jackson for your service for northwest Lubbock County and we appreciate your service," he said.
In a statement provided to Lubbock media, Jackson cited a new career opportunity and mounting political pressure he says makes the job "untenable."
"I accepted the position in 2018 after retiring from the Lubbock Police Department as a sergeant with 26 years of experience. I hoped to bring a new perspective to the office of Constable in Lubbock County," Jackson's statement reads. "I believed my experience as a supervisor, an investigator, and a professional law enforcement officer would be strongly considered by the governing body when I recommended changes. Instead, my efforts were met with animosity."
His resignation comes about a month after the Avalanche-Journal reported on a squabble between him and Lubbock County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jason Corley and their disagreement over how Jackson's county vehicle should be marked. Jackson and other constables have previously asked the Lubbock County Commissioners Court for raises and additional staffing for their offices but say their requests have gone unanswered.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock County commissioners accept precinct 4 constable's resignation
