COMING NEXT WEEK: MEET SPUR’S NEW POLICE CHIEF
action Tues., Oct. 17, the city hired Ramon Golden to begin service as Chief of Police effective Oct. 19, 2023, and contingent on successful scores awaiting from weapons certification.
Golden, who has been previously employed by the city in other capacities, is a resident of Spur with 38 years’ earlier experience in law enforcement out of state and is also a military veteran.
The position became vacant in July when Billy R. Spears was removed from duty. In recent years Spur had encountered difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified officers, especially on the city’s limited budget, and in 2021 had held a public forum to hear from citizens regarding options for local law enforcement.
Golden was interviewed for the job recently by a committee of the city council. During the council’s meeting on the 17th, the committee expressed complete support for the hire, and responded to citizen questions from the floor about the wisdom of continuing with a plan to reestablish a city police force when the possibility exists of combining scarce resources with the county sheriff’s office for law enforcement.
Alderman Don Wright, who served on the most recent hiring committee, responded, “A number of years ago we had a public hearing, and citizens were totally against giving up the police force.”
Golden is expected to attend the upcoming session of Texas police chief school.
Golden said, when asked by council about his approach to policing, that he would expect to be regularly on patrol. ‘We are a nation of laws, and they have to be abided by,” he said.
After clarification of the interviewing process, qualifications, and contingency, council voted 5-0 (one member absent) in favor of the hire.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
