ELECTION RESULTS - THANK YOU!
The election results are in and I am excited to announce that I have been elected as your next Hays County Precinct 4 Constable! Although I officially won’t take office until Constable Hood’s term expires in December, I am looking forward to serving all of you and the Dripping Springs community.
Thank you so much for your support. I am grateful for your trust and your vote!
- Dave
Vote Dave Graham for Constable
Dave Graham is a proven law enforcement leader with a track record of leadership, courage, and community-oriented policing. Presently a Deputy in the Dripping Springs area (Precinct 4) Constable’s office, Graham retired as a Lieutenant from the Dallas Police Department in 2017.
Graham has led, mentored, and trained hundreds of police officers, been responsible for budgets and planning, and has successfully run offices, projects, and police units. He has led everything from community relations to responses to active shooters to planning and ensuring public safety at the Texas State Fair and the Super Bowl.
Meet the Grahams
In 2017, Dave and Ann Graham moved to Dripping Springs to be near their children, who had gone to college and settled in the area. "Our daughter Lauren was a kindergarten teacher at Sycamore Springs Elementary, and Ann graduated from UT. We'd been Longhorn football season ticket holders for 25 years so we were here a lot, and knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives in Dripping." Dave is not the only law enforcement officer in his family; Ann was a Probation Officer for Dallas County for 31 years, and their son Brad followed his parents into law enforcement. He is a Sergeant in a central Texas Sheriff's office. "Shortly after we moved to Dripping Springs, I stopped by the Precinct 4 building on Roger Hanks Pkwy to update the registration on our cars," Dave said. "Out walks Charles Williams, who had retired from the Dallas Police Department shortly before I did, in uniform as a Hays County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable. We began visiting, and he introduced me to his boss, Constable Ron Hood." Constable Hood soon invited Dave to join his office as a Deputy Constable, and he has been working there since. "Even then, Dripping was undergoing explosive growth and Ron had a clear vision of how he wanted the office to grow and continue to serve the community. Sometimes people think that the police just answer calls and, especially here, nothing could be further from the truth. It takes a lot of planning, experience, and effort to keep crime down, keep the community engaged, and keep a good quality of life." Dave and Ann live with their rescue dog, Tito. You might see Ann working at Bell Springs Winery or the winery's Sidecar Tasting Room. In addition to his work as a Deputy Constable, Dave trains police forces across the country as an Instructor for Law Enforcement Seminars LLC. He also volunteers throughout Hays County giving talks on safety and crime prevention. Dave and Ann do not have much spare time, but what time they do have, they love to spend with their kids and travel. And of course, go to Longhorn football games. "Ann and I love Dripping and are committed to the future of this community. We want our kids and YOUR kids to thrive here."
Why Dave?
"Safe communities are not random! There are concrete actions and processes that effective law enforcement leaders take to discourage crime, hold people accountable when it happens, and engage the community to encourage safety and keep it going.
It takes experience to make it all come together. We can take the best and leave the rest - keep Dripping safe, and keep Dripping the town that we all love."
- Dave Graham
Experience
Constable's Office, Hays County Precinct 4 (Dripping Springs area)
Deputy Constable (2017 - present)
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Respond to 911 calls, investigate crimes and traffic accidents, and enforce traffic laws to reduce accidents and fatalities.
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Interact with the community to increase safety and reduce crime through training, presentations, meeting with residents and groups and participating in civic events.
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Execute civil and criminal court orders, such as arrest warrants or protective warrants.
Law Enforcement Seminars LLC
Instructor (2014 - present)
Train law enforcement supervisors in two areas:
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Conducting internal investigations into matters such as use-of-force, misconduct, and officer-involved shootings.
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Providing citizens with fair and effective ways to remedy legitimate grievances against law enforcement officers, while protecting officers against false accusations.
Dallas Police Department
Lieutenant (2006 - 2017)
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Tactical Operations Commander responsible for SWAT, bomb squad, K-9, and other specialized units.
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Internal Affairs Unit Commander
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Helicopter Unit Commander
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Personnel & Development Unit Commander
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Patrol Division Watch Commander
Sergeant (2002 – 2006)
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Administrative Sergeant, Office of the Chief of Police
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Sector Sergeant, Patrol Division
Senior Corporal (1997 - 2002)
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Pilot and Tactical Flight Officer, Helicopter Unit
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Community Relations Officer, Patrol Division
Police Officer (1990 - 1997)
Garland Police Department
Detective, Field Training Officer, and Patrol Officer (1983 - 1990)
Awards & Training
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Life Saving Bar (1994)
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Police Commendation Bar, 2 Awards (2016, 2017)
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Certificate of Merit, 4 Awards (1998 - 2 awards, 2011, 2013)
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More than 100 commendations - recognition from the community, supervisors, and peers
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Graduate of Garland (1983) and Dallas (1990) Police academies
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More than 3500 hours of continuing professional development law enforcement training
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Crime Prevention Specialist Certification (1987)
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Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Master Peace Officer (2000)
Critical Moments
During his service with the Dallas Police Department, Dave was Incident Response Commander for several dire threats to public safety, including:
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the ambush of five police officers by an active shooter (2016)
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an attack on police headquarters by an active shooter in an armored van (2015)
He was also Command Post Supervisor, responsible for safety planning, organization, and on-site leadership for numerous high-profile, high-risk events including:
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Super Bowl XV (2011)
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Final Four NCAA College Basketball Championship Tournament (2014)
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Texas State Fair (2013 - 2017)
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Presidential and other dignitary visits (2013 - 2017)
Why is the Constable Important?
If you are ever in an accident, the victim of a crime, have a dispute with your neighbor, or are worried about traffic safety in our community…you will likely meet your Constable. The Constable and deputies are often our first line of defense. They interact with the community every day, in ways large and small. Their temperament and ability to think and react are vital. They are often able to stop conflicts before they escalate and cause injuries or property damage. In an emergency, they are often our first responders on the scene. In addition, Texas Constables carry out court orders, such as protective orders, arrests and evictions. The elected office of Constable is extremely important in a fast growth community like Dripping Springs. There is no time for on the job training. It requires a level of expertise to maintain the quality of life we want to continue to enjoy in our community. Constable Ron Hood, (who is retiring from Precinct 4) has responsibility over seven deputies and an administrative assistant. They're responsible for a large geographic area and diverse population including Dripping Springs, Driftwood, and southwest Austin.
Community
Dave is very active in the Dripping Springs area, and you'll likely run into him around town. He also volunteers his time talking about safety and law enforcement issues to government, neighborhood, and civic groups.
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Presenter, Dripping Springs Independent School District Emergency Training
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Guest Speaker, Situational Awareness and Personal Safety for Women, Dripping Springs
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Speaker, Civilian Response to Active Shooter Event, many Hays County venues
If you'd like Dave to speak at your event, send a note to daveforhays@gmail.com or call 214-601-6816. He is an engaging speaker who can speak knowledgeably on just about any law enforcement -related topic.
