Elections: San Angelo Police Chief Race Now Has 3 Contenders

For the May 7 city elections, Jeff Davis filed his candidacy for San Angelo police chief on Friday afternoon, the third candidate to do so. Yesterday afternoon, San Angelo Police Lieutenant Mike Hernandez also threw his hat into the ring.

This is the third time Jeff Davis has challenged incumbent Police Chief Tim Vasquez for San Angelo’s top cop. His first attempt was in 2008 in a crowded field. He was the lone opponent in 2012. Davis served as a narcotics detective and patrolman in the San Angelo Police Department before retirement in 2007.

Mike Hernandez is currently a lieutenant who leads the night shift at SAPD. He previously led the SAPD SWAT team. Hernandez is a military veteran who served in the U.S. Marines in security forces. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2014.

The District 1, 3 and 5 City Council seats will also be on the ballot. The filing period continues through Feb. 19. The elected police chief will serve a four-year term. The winning City Council candidates will serve three-year terms.

Those who have filed are:

• Police chief – Jeff Davis, Mike Hernandez and Tim Vasquez.
• District 1 – Trinidad Aguirre Jr. and Bill Richardson.
• District 3 – Daniel Cardenas and Harry Thomas.
• District 5 – R.A. Cantrell, Matthew Lane Carter, Elizabeth Grindstaff and Martin William Guinn.

Candidates file the necessary paperwork in the City Clerk’s office in Room 210 on the second floor of City Hall, 72 W. College Ave. The office is open from 8 a.m.-noon and from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Candidate packets containing applications, information and forms about the process for those considering running for City Council are available in the City Clerk’s office or at cosatx.us/May2016. Questions can be addressed to City Clerk Bryan Kendrick at 325-657-4405 or at [email protected].

Voters and potential candidates can access a map of the City Council districts at cosatx.us/council. Determining which district one lives in can be determined by clicking the GIS map viewer on the same page.

Voters must be registered to vote by April 7 to be eligible to cast a ballot in the May 7 election. Voter registration information can be found at votetomgreencounty.org.