(Seguin) – Guadalupe County’s top law enforcement officer is giving thanks to all those who helped maintain law and order and who helped keep people safe throughout the course of last week’s winter storm.
Guadalupe County Sheriff Arnold Zwicke publicly thanked his team of deputies, jailers, and county departments for going above and beyond all while risking their lives during the brutal winter weather.
Before going down his list of county employees, Zwicke first thanked the public. Zwicke says residents did what they were asked to which ultimately led to safer conditions for his men and women.
“I want to give a shout out to the public because for the most part, most of them did exactly what the media and what commissioners court and what law enforcement first responders said to stay home and they did. I was amazed at the number of accidents that I thought we were going to work that we didn’t have to work. I just knew that we were in for a bad time with this long period of ice and snow so I want to thank the public first off,” said Zwicke.
Zwicke says of course it was his deputies that were at the forefront of it all. No matter how low the temperatures dipped or how dangerous the road conditions were, his team of deputies, dispatchers and investigators never slowed down.
Like his deputies, the county’s team of employees at the Guadalupe County Jail also did their part to keep things going.
“I want to thank the guys, the men and women at the jail. We went with periods of no electricity, no water which caused some shuttered issues which I’m sure you don’t want to hear about later but that caused some issues of lower temperatures. We had detention officers who came in, worked doubled shifts. Some didn’t leave. Some slept on the floor in the training room. Showered at the facility when we had water. Ate what they could out of the kitchen and continued to operate that jail. They worked long hard shifts. They did it. I want to thank the inmates because the inmates knew we were in for a long haul and they cooperated as well. I was amazed at that,” said Zwicke.
Zwicke also made sure to thank the Guadalupe County Road and Bridge Department for all its efforts. He says things could not have gone as safe and smooth for his department if it wasn’t for those road crews who also worked around the clock last week.
“I want to thank road and bridge. Road and bridge, Mark Green, I want to say that I want to send you flowers sometimes. You are always pulling us out of the fire but it’s just that. Road and Bridge anytime we call, it’s a 10-4 and I’ve gotten it taken care of and that included when he brought a truck over just in case our water went out again to flush the toilets. I want to thank Mark and his crew for everything that they’ve done not only for the public but for my men and women at the sheriff’s office. They came and sanded down the slick entrances and stuff, took care of every request that we needed as well as took care of the many calls they dealt with,” said Zwicke.
Again, Zwicke says he is fortunate that his department escaped without injury and appreciates the law enforcement efforts of all those who worked together to help make sure everyone got home safe.