Rockwall County sheriff honored at city council meeting

(ROCKWALL, TX – July 5, 2018) During its meeting on Monday, the Rockwall city council proclaimed July 2, 2018 as Sheriff Harold and Marcia Eavenson Day in the city of Rockwall, in recognition of their service to Rockwall County and to the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA).

Eavenson served as sheriff of Rockwall County for 17 years, and recently concluded a year of service as president of the NSA during the NSA Annual Conference in New Orleans on June 15-20.

“Sheriff Eavenson is a true friend to this community. Everything he has done has been to keep us safe and to make this community a better place,” said Rockwall Mayor Jim Pruitt. “The one thing I learned from being in New Orleans when Eavenson turned over the reigns as president of the National Sheriffs’ Association is that he is an ambassador for Rockwall, Texas. Out of those 3,000 sheriffs that were there, everybody knows where Rockwall is because of Harold Eavenson.”

As a member of the NSA Board of Directors from February 2007 to June 2011, Eavenson served on the Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Government Affairs Committee, and was co-chairman of the Immigration Border Security Committee. On June 28, 2017 he became only the fifth sheriff from Texas to serve as president of the NSA, and the first Texas sheriff in nearly two decades to serve in that capacity.

As NSA president, Eavenson actively represented 3,088 sheriffs in the nation, making a total of 34 trips to attend state associations, executive director conferences, Border Sheriffs Coalition meetings, and the Western State Sheriffs’ Association Conference. He also attended meetings with Attorney General Jeff Sessions on three occasions to discuss issues sheriffs face daily. Alongside other sheriffs, he made three trips to Washington, D.C. to meet with the President of the United States to discuss issues such as border security, mental health challenges pertaining to jails, asset forfeiture, and the nation’s opioid crisis.

As a valued member of the Rockwall community, Eavenson is known both locally and nationally for his philosophy of “There is no right way to do the wrong thing.”

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve the National Sheriffs’ Association, the state of Texas and Rockwall County,” Eavenson said. “I can say without reservation it was an incredible experience. Marcia and I met some incredible people who became friends of ours and will remain friends throughout our lifetime.”

The Rockwall County Commissioners Court will recognize Eavenson with a proclamation during its meeting next Tuesday, July 10, on the third-floor courtroom at the downtown historic courthouse at 9 a.m. The public is encouraged to attend and show their support for Eavenson.

Story and photo by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.

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