Sad news from Fort Bend.
Constable Ruben Davis
At a time when the public and law enforcement officials contemplate how to best blend policing and community, Fort Bend County has lost a man many describe as a role model for the perfect mix of serving and protecting.
Longtime Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Constable Ruben Davis died on Tuesday morning. He was 61.
“He loved his community and, more importantly, he loved his family,” Precinct 2 Chief Deputy Rodney Pentecost said. “We are grieving right now. It’s obvious that he’ll be missed.”
Davis served as a Fort Bend constable since May 1996 and led a precinct that covers the county’s east side including Missouri City. His name, as an unopposed candidate, will remain on the November ballot.
He was known for his big personality, huge heart and love for the residents of Fort Bend County.
Sharon Davis said her husband was a provider and protector for their Missouri City household and beyond.
“I think the people will probably miss his generosity. Anything that he could do for you, he was going to do it,” she said. “He’s always been a sweet and caring person.”
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The constable’s current term expires on Dec. 31. According to the Texas Elections Code, a vacancy occurs on the date of an official’s death. Davis appears unopposed on the Nov. 8 ballot. If he is re-elected as a deceased candidate to a four-year term, another vacancy will occur on Nov. 22 – the date that Fort Bend County election results will be canvassed by commissioners.
It is unclear whether Fort Bend commissioners will make an appointment for the last six weeks of the year.
According to Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert’s office and county elections administrator John Oldham, commissioners have the responsibility to appoint someone to serve until the next election in November 2018. The winning candidate in that race will have an abbreviated two-year term. The seat then returns to the usual four-year rotation for the 2020 election.
Sharon Davis said she would be willing to accept an appointment to her husband’s post.
As the story notes, Sharon Davis met Ruben Davis at HPD academy, so she has a law enforcement background. I did not know Constable Davis myself, but all of my Fort Bend friends on Facebook have been posting about him. He clearly left a big impression. My sincere condolences to his friends and family.