FISHER COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Tensions ran high in the Fisher County Courthouse as commissioners convened a special meeting to appoint a new Fisher County Sheriff following the resignation of Tom Pohlman. Although the candidate lacked experience as a peace officer, his military background became a key factor in the decision to appoint John Patrick Dickson to the position.
At the beginning of the meeting, the court was informed that Sheriff Tom Pohlman and Jarod Smith had turned in their resignations. Afterward, commissioners addressed concerns regarding Dickson’s qualifications. While he does not currently hold a peace officer’s license, he meets the statutory requirements under Veteran status.
Dickson acknowledged his lack of direct law enforcement experience but expressed his commitment to protecting the community and fulfilling the responsibilities of the role.
“We may have people coming in with ill intent, and it’s up to us to make sure that they do not succeed in whatever their plans are. The second thing is to be a good liaison between the Commissioners Court and the people, and if there’s questions or problems, we have to be open about it. We don’t need secrets things like that. But being a small community, there’s times that you gotta step up,” Dickson shared.
Born in Roby and raised in Sweetwater, Dickson spent nearly 18 years in the U.S. Navy, gaining invaluable insights into organizational structures and leadership.
“I’ve been around the world. I’ve seen how other places do it. Honestly, if nothing else, you learn what not to do a lot of things. But when it comes to dealing with people and the public, the one thing that I can assure you is that at least I will hear you. I will be open,” Dickson promised. “If we have anything outstanding on the books, then whatever I can do administratively, I will do that. I will keep the court informed. Whatever reports are going to be necessary. They will be made to the court and the state, and I will do the job to the best of my ability, whether I stink at it or am good at it.”
Dickson’s Veteran status exempts him from the five-year peace officer experience requirement, but he must obtain his license within two years. He plans to enroll in the academy as soon as possible.
Due to the special appointment, Dickson must decide by the fall whether to run to retain the office in the next election. After that, it would fall back to the normal election timeline.
“I believe that if I want to pursue this, then we do it wholeheartedly. I don’t want to be halfway here… So, as soon as I can meet the requirements for the peace officer license, then I will get it, and hopefully, I’m doing a good enough job; I will feel comfortable with putting my name in the hat there come November,” Dickson shared.
Dickson explained that he strives to stay within budget limits strictly, using the budget only for what is necessary because “We have to be accountable to the taxpayer.”
“The idea that we could bust the budget on superfluous things or nice-to-have things… We will do our job. We will do it by utilizing our resources as best we can and making that money in that budget, going as far as possible,” Dickson said. “It’s not there for toys; It’s not there for nice things. If opportunities for training come up and we can afford it, I will make sure our deputies go to training. It’s important that we have as good a trained force as we can within the limitations of what we can do. So, that would be my main concern. I don’t want shiny new stuff. We don’t need shiny new stuff. We just need people who are going to do the job and who are well-trained.”
On the subject of community relations, Dickson stressed the importance of collaboration between law enforcement and community members to foster unity.
“If you want to knock on my door, it’s open. We’re not above anyone. We’re not better than anyone. If you have a legitimate complaint and grievance, then it would be looked into. If it’s something that requires lawful action, then we will take it. If it is something that is more of a personal matter, we will try to mediate it to the best we can. But it shouldn’t be something that continues with friction and turmoil in the community. We shouldn’t be part of the friction internally. We should be the ones trying to knock it down a little bit,” Dickson said.
Before his appointment, Dickson shared that he would meet individually with each employee to understand their perspectives, ideas, and attitudes, ensuring that everyone serves to the best of their ability.
“I just want to make sure that they have a good attitude toward the public that they’re serving because that is the point: they are serving the public. You see it a lot on the news and everything else. We don’t need law enforcement who have an ego… We just need people who will go out and say, ‘Hey, here’s the law, here’s what you did wrong.’ If we can solve it with a ticket, they need a ticket. You don’t have to make an arrest for everything,” Dickson explained. “Now, people may give you some lip, and it’ll upset you, you know, it’ll make you mad, but you cannot resort or go back to their attitude. You have to be professional at all times. The last thing that I would want to hear is that anyone had a problem with my deputy being so aggressive that they feel that they’ve been wrong. We don’t need that.”
The court officially appointed John Dickson as Fisher County Sheriff on December 31, 2024.
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