• John Braden •
• Originally published January 2, 2009 at 11:51 a.m., updated January 2, 2009 at 11:51 a.m.

Last Monday, in a room filled with empty bookshelves and barren walls, former Matagorda County Sheriff James Mitchell sat at his office desk and looked back on the 27-year tenure he has had with Bay City and the county. Even though his time as sheriff came to an end on Wednesday, Mitchell had a smile on his face when he said that as far as his career goes, he’s a 48-years-old who isn’t going to quit working. As Mitchell took time to make all of his final preparations and close out last-minute business, he sat down with me for a final interview to take a look back at all of his work in law enforcement. The following conversation took place between myself and Mitchell in his office on Monday, Dec. 22. When did you get your start in law enforcement and how did your career advance to the position it is at now? I started my journey on Jan. 1, 1982, with Bay City Police Department, where I worked patrol for three years under chief Barney Mason. I have to thank him for giving me my start in this profession. From there I moved to the Sheriff’s Office in 1985, where I became a jailer. I stayed with the County for a little over nine years, doing just about everything you can do there. I was a jailer, dispatcher, night and day deputy and worked all shifts. In 1986, I was promoted to patrol, and in 1989 to Sergeant and assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division as an investigator. I stayed there for four and a half years and probably out of everything in my law enforcement career, the position I enjoyed the most was that investigation job. There’s something about getting a case and being able to see it all the way through that I really enjoyed. We would have to work on it, solve it and get into court and be able to prove it. That’s what I really liked to do. During those four and a half years, by coincidence, I worked every homicide Matagorda County had. I left in 1994 and became chief of police for the Bay City Independent School District. It was a great learning experience that gave me supervisory experience and budget experience. I was with the school for three years before I took office as sheriff on Jan. 1, 1997. I was the first republican sheriff ever elected in this county, but in 1998, I switched parties, became a democrat, and won two more times. And that’s where I am now. Did you always know you wanted to become sheriff? I always had a strong passion for law enforcement growing up, but it wasn’t something that I always wanted to be. I just really liked helping people. For three years before I got into law enforcement I was a volunteer firefighter for Bay City for the same reason. Do you plan on staying involved with all of the organizations you are a member of after you leave office? I’m still a member of the Red Cross and Lions Club, I’m still involved with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and I’m still a member of the 100 Club. All of these organizations I intend to stay or probably become more active in after the first of the year. Do you want to keep working in the same field and do you plan to ever run for Sheriff again in Matagorda County? At this time I have no intentions of getting back into law enforcement. The election in 2012 is certainly not anything that I am setting my sights on, and I’m probably leaning more towards not. But at the same time, I wouldn’t rule it out. It’s always a possibility, but it just depends on how things go. I’m obviously not going to quit working, and I am looking at a few different options about where to take my career from here. Do you plan on staying in this county? This is my home. I’ve lived my whole life here. I was born here, I graduated from high school here and I have always called this place home. I have no real intentions on leaving. Is there one incident during your career that stands out as the most memorable to you? Looking back, there isn’t really one incident that I remember the most because we went through a lot. Wayne Frieda was my first chief Deputy and he was with me until Nov. 2007. We were able to attack things head-on, lay them out on the table, and fix whatever the problem was. It’s relationships like this that are most memorable to me, not just any single incident, but the long-lasting friendships and partnerships that were made. You can’t always prevent bad things from happening, but with the right team in place, you can deal with any problems you have to. When you have 70 employees and you’re responsible for 35,000 citizens…and right now we are running numbers like 130 to 140 inmates…you know, things are going to happen. But as long as you deal with them openly and honestly and fairly, you will be alright. I think that’s something that we’ve always done. Wayne and I are still very close and I’ll be eternally gratefully for all he has done for me throughout my career. He brought a lot of maturity and experience to my department and that partnership did more for making me successful over the years than any other. After Wayne retired, John Oglesby filled the position and also did an outstanding job for me during the time he was here. And I’m also extremely grateful for Janette Bell, who was willing to jump in and fill the last few months of this term. That woman has so much integrity because she just stepped in here and if you saw her now, you wouldn’t know she hasn’t been here for long. It’s rewarding for me to be able to look back at all the individuals I was able to help get their start in this career in law enforcement, just like Barney Mason did for me so many years ago. It’s important for me to help try to mold them into becoming great law enforcement agents. Was your drive to help the employees like that part of the reason you wanted to become sheriff? The initial reason that I ran in 1997 was because of the employees at the Sheriff’s Office. That was my motivating factor because I felt that they needed greater leadership and representation. They needed to be taken care of and I think I’ve done that over the past twelve years. I think the morale and family atmosphere that we’ve been able to foster here tells me I’ve been successful. When you have employees that have to leave the agency to find a better paying job, and then decide to come back because happiness in their job was more important than extra money, it tells me that I did things right. Are there any people you would like to specially thank? One person I really need to thank is a man who was probably my greatest mentor throughout my career. As far as how the employees and public should be treated, nobody did it better than Capt. Mike Brown. Brown was always a very very dear friend of mine and he taught me so much. He passed away from cancer, but his impression in the department will never stop being felt. He was a friend and mentor to everybody in this department. He always had the time to help people. That’s somebody I really learned a lot from and will miss dearly, as everybody who knew him will. His wife, son and nephew now work here too and they are every bit as much as great and wonderful as Mike was. I also never miss an opportunity to thank STP, for everything they have done for the county, sheriff’s office and me personally. The training and experience I’ve gotten from STP has certainly been a credit to the things I’ve been able to accomplish. I’m always grateful for their contributions to the sheriff’s office and to the general public. I would also like to thank the press for the relationship I have had with them in covering our stories and issues. All the information has been presented to the public very professionally and very fairly. I appreciate that, and thanks to the Advocate especially. I’ve always tried to be open and I appreciate you and your paper and the way you have always handled our news. What kind of a reaction have you gotten from the community regarding your departure? I’m extremely surprised at the turnout from the community. I was shocked at the outpouring of gratitude and number of people who showed up to my going away party. The whole EOC was full, the hallway and lobby were full, there were even people filling the kitchen. There were past and present employees and numerous agencies represented. At the ceremony, Palacios Mayor Joe Morton presented me with a proclamation and key to the city and Haskell Simon presented me with a plaque on behalf of the Matagorda County 100 Club. I also was given a plaque from STP representatives Dave Rencurrel, Tim Bowman, and Tim Frawley, and Matagorda County Judge Nate McDonald presented me with a photograph of the nuclear plant signed by all the members of the Emergency Operations Center that work in the county. Bill McGonagle recognized me on behalf of Matagorda and Wharton County Child Protective Services, and Ron Ballenger, captain of reserve division, presented with a gift certificate from the sheriff’s office reserves. Lt. Richard Morales, on behalf of my entire department, presented me with 22-caliber Henry Repeater rifle with my name and title laser engraved on the stock. It’s all been a very emotional time for me. Anything else you would like to say to your employees or the citizens of Matagorda County? I grew up here in Bay City and for me to be recognized this way after 27 years in law enforcement is very humbling. Sometimes I don’t know what to say or how to react when I hear the mayor or county judge read a proclamation about me. I’m always going to want to be a part of this community and help it in any way I can. It has been a great experience and I thank everybody who has been involved and helped me along the way. The biggest thanks I have outside my family are my employees. I have spent all my time here trying to make it better for them and I’ve always said and thought that if you take care of your employees, they will give you 100 percent. And what that means in the case of law enforcement is that they will serve the county’s citizens with everything they have. I believe that’s what we’ve done and I will always be thankful for that.

Side Story: At City Council, Commissioners Court, 100 Club and other meetings this month, James Mitchell was honored for his service as Matagorda County Sheriff and commended for all of his hard work. Below are just some of the things countywide officials, government leaders and law enforcement personnel had to say about Mitchell.

Bay City Councilman Joe Enoch said, “I would like to thank our sheriff for his twelve years of service in law enforcement. I have had the great opportunity to work closely with the man, and I know he’s a man who backs up his words. He doesn’t just talk the talk, but also walks the walk. I commend him for his impact and leadership with our Emergency Operations Center, as I’ve seen his work through a couple tropical storms and some near misses with Rita and Ike. His leadership and strength plaid out in both those situations and was basically the backbone of the EOC. I also work at STP, and Mitchell has been a great teammate. Post 9-11 brought us into another level of potential terrorism and the sheriffs department has been a great help and a great friend to the South Texas Project, so sheriff I applaud you and I cherish your friendship.”

Bay City Mayor Richard Knapik said, “Thank you. You are one that gave me the hope that led me to where I am sitting today.” The Council also approved a proclamation which Knapik read, stating, “Mitchell continually demonstrates the sensitivity for doing what is best for the entire community and has demonstrated in many practical ways his undying love for our community and the surrounding area.” For this reason and many others, Dec. 18, 2008, was proclaimed as James Mitchell Day by the council.

Bay City Councilman Brent Marceaux said, “I too had the pleasure of growing up with James. Life is a circus and we have put them on together. What he does goes way beyond what you typically think a sheriff would do, he extended himself into his community, he put his heart and soul into his community and I’m very proud of having him as a friend.”

Bay City Councilman Tim Bell said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that the state of Texas is a way better place because of your community service and I applaud and thank you.”

President of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Mitch Thames said, “Sheriff Mitchell has always been somebody I have felt comfortable calling up in any situation, both on a professional and personal basis. He is and will be a true friend to chamber, the Matagorda County and me. I worked with him on Bay City Lions, of course on chamber, and I’m just really excited about his future and branching out into a new endeavor, whatever that is, I’m just excited for him. I really feel that no matter what James Mitchell decides to do, he is going to excel in it.”

Matagorda County Sheriff Nate McDonald said, “Sheriff, I’ve only been working with you for two years, but I’ve known you since we were very very small. We all started out in the same place. We lived in the same part of the county, grew up together, and even rode the same bus. You’ve come a long way and done great things. I, as Nate McDonald appreciate it, but I as County Judge especially appreciate it because of the level of service you have given us for almost 28 years. I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

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