Out Spotlight XXXV

On November 2, 2004 Lupe Valdez, won the job as Dallas County (TX) sheriff with 51% of the vote. She became Texas's only elected female sheriff, as well as being the only openly lesbian sheriff in TX.

One of eight children born to migrant farm worker parents, she grew up in San Antonio, TX. She started working in the fields, paid her way through college, earning a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration going on to earn a Master's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Arlington.

She served in the United States Army rising to the rank of Captain. She then pursued her civilian career in law enforcement beginning as a corrections officer, first in a county jail and then federal prison. She stayed in the federal system becoming an agent for the General Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and, finally, the U.S. Customs Service where she was a leader in the federal Counter Smuggling Initiative. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2002, she was made a Senior Agent, serving in that role until her retirement in January 2004. Her retirement was for her pursue the office of Dallas County Sheriff.

Sheriff Valdez at Dallas Pride Parade

On January 2, 2004, Lupe Valdez announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Dallas County Sheriff. During the primary election, she faced three opponents, and finished as the highest vote-getter with 13,867 votes. She subsequently won a run-off election against future Dallas County Judge Jim Foster. Valdez won 73% of the vote in the run-off.

Going into the general election, Valdez was considered the underdog against Republican Danny Chandler. Chandler, a 30-year veteran of the Sheriff's Department, had defeated incumbent Sheriff Jim Bowles in the Republican primary. Bowles, who was tainted by corruption allegations, had held the office for 20 years.

During her first four years in office Sheriff Valdez has fought for the people of Dallas County by aggressively reforming her Department and working to restore the Dallas County Jail.

Sheriff Valdez was reelected in March 2008 although her tenure is not without its own controversies about her job performance. The criticism includes poor communication within and outside the department; Dallas County jails still failing state inspections, like her during her predecessor; declining arrest rates for driving while intoxicated and alleged disproportionate DWI arrests of Hispanics; taking 2 years to successfully pass her Texas Peace Officer Certification examination after being elected; engaging in campaign activities while in uniform and violating "long-standing policy" in Dallas County; authorizing the Discovery Channel to film a documentary without gaining required Commissioner Court permission.

This prompted the Commissioners Court to unanimously seek(and ultimately get) a restraining order against the Sheriff. The Dallas Morning News editorial board criticized the Sheriff's handling of the matter: "the positive publicity from finally meeting state standards would have been superior to that of a cable documentary and an unnecessary fight with those who hold her purse strings. The legal costs to the county could be as high as $11,000.

This month it came from the behind the thin blue line, a news conference where the National Latino Peace Officers Association, Dallas County Peace Officers Association, Dallas County Sheriff's Association and Fraternal Order of Police, frustrated because Sheriff Valdez "repeatedly refused to meet" with them over labor issues, "blasted [Sheriff Valdez] for lack of leadership and inaction during [Dallas County's fiscal year 2009] budget crisis," further alleging that Valdez's leadership has "led to a historic low in morale and an 'overwhelming view of no confidence within our ranks.'

The 28-year law enforcement veteran said her sexuality was not much of an issue during her campaign. Valdez, who received an endorsement by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, said her election is proof of progress in the law enforcement profession. "As more of us are upfront about our sexuality, the attitudes change," she said, adding that her election also proves that Dallas is an accepting place.