(Seguin) — The sheriff-in-waiting is resigning his post from the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Deputy Joshua Ray is leaving the sheriff’s office for now and will instead be joining another county office.
Ray was offered the opportunity to serve as Chief Deputy almost a year and a half ago by current Sheriff Arnold Zwicke. His announcement on Monday comes nearly three months after he won the Republican nomination for sheriff during the March 5th Primary. Since he faces no Democratic opponent in the November General Election, Ray is set to officially take office as Sheriff on Jan. 1, 2025.
In a written statement to the Seguin Daily News, Ray states, “In the interim, I have made the difficult decision to leave the Sheriff’s Office to take a position in the Guadalupe County Attorney’s Office. The interplay between law enforcement and prosecution is complex, and I am now well-suited to further these relationships and expand my professional knowledge while preparing for my role as
Sheriff in January. Moving forward, I will be able to fairly evaluate the Sheriff’s Office and make the determination of what we will continue to do as well as what changes need to be made when I take office.”
He goes on to state, “In fairness to the current Sheriff and his existing staff I felt it was best to work outside the office as these assessments are made. During my campaign, I discussed my vision for a more modernized Sheriff’s Office to better serve this community. I plan on holding a series of town hall meetings in the near future to talk with the residents of Guadalupe County on how we can improve this office and better serve you with integrity and professionalism. I served with these values in the United States Marine Corps and as a Texas Ranger and I will never waiver from them, personally or professionally. I will continue my pledge to serve this community over the next six months and diligently work on my plans to lead the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office with character and integrity.”
Ray was unavailable for further comment regarding this decision. However, he did say that he looks forward to announcing town hall meetings with his future constituents in the very near future.