Kathryn Brown becomes first Black woman elected as Bexar County Constable

Democrat Kathryn Brown has defeated Republican Larry Ricketts in the race for Bexar County constable, Precinct 4

Kathryn Brown becomes first Black woman elected as Bexar County Constable. (KSAT)

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Candidate

Votes

%

Kathryn Brown(D)
96,42761%
Larry Ricketts(R)
60,95839%
100% of Precincts Reporting

(302 / 302)

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Kathryn Brown wins Precinct 4 race, becomes first Black woman elected to serve as constable in Bexar County

11:00 p.m. - Democrat Kathryn Brown has defeated Republican Larry Ricketts in the race for Bexar County constable, Precinct 4. When sworn in, Brown will become the county’s first-ever Black woman to serve as constable.

Brown currently has 93,325 votes, while Ricketts has 58,342 votes with 54% of the votes counted.

Brown will replace outgoing constable Stan Ramos who failed to make it past the Democratic primary in March, finishing third behind Brown and Mike Ramirez.

Brown defeated Ramirez in the July runoff election. Ricketts defeated Martin Rod Chavez in the Republican primary in March.

Brown is a 19-year veteran of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. She will be the first Black woman to serve as a Bexar County constable according to Monica Ramos, a spokesperson for the county.

According to Ramos an obituary for Matthew “Nite” Marshall, found in the Spanish Archives Department, says that Marshall served as the county’s “first African American to be elected to the constable’s office in San Antonio.”

Marshall’s obituary states he served as the Precinct 4 constable from 1988-2004.

According to county records, in 2004, the Bexar County Commissioner’s Court eliminated the precinct 5 constable role and divided the area between Precincts 1 and 4.

In interviews, Brown said she wants the constable’s office to be more visible and approachable, and a place that will help raise awareness on several issues such as domestic violence

Additionally, Brown said her focus has been on community relations and communicating with residents that the constable’s office can be a place for resources, not just protection.

Background

A pair of Bexar County law enforcement veterans are vying to be elected as the next constable of Precinct 4.

Precinct 4 is a mix of urban and rural communities.

Bexar County Precinct 4 (KSAT/Henry Keller)

Democrat Kathryn Brown and Republican Larry Ricketts face off this November to replace outgoing constable Stan Ramos.

Ramos' term wraps up at the end of this year. Ramos failed to make it past the Democratic primary in March, finishing third behind Brown and Mike Ramirez.

Brown then defeated Ramirez in the July runoff election. Ricketts defeated Martin Rod Chavez in the Republican primary in March.

It encompasses downtown to the far East Side. The precinct also stretches from Universal City on the Northeast Side to Braunig Lake on the Southeast Side.

Brown is a 19-year veteran of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. She would be the first Black woman to serve as a Bexar County constable if she wins, according to Monica Ramos, a spokesperson for the ounty.

During that time, the mother of two and cancer survivor attained the rank of a sergeant, worked in the recruitment office and was part of BCSO’s mounted unit patrol, according to her Facebook page.

Brown has been part of several advisory groups related to law enforcement and union committees.

Brown said her focus has been on community relations and communicating with residents that the constable’s office can be a place for resources, not just protection.

In interviews, Brown said she wants the constable’s office to be more visible and approachable, and a place that will help raise awareness on several issues such as domestic violence

Ricketts is a former special forces commander in Vietnam with 31 years of law enforcement experience.

In an email to KSAT, Ricketts said he spent seven years with Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and over 24 years as a deputy constable and former captain in Precinct 4.

Ricketts and his wife of 50 years have lived in the precinct for 45 years and have owned a daycare center for 35 years.

He has also served on the county bond commission and is a member of the San Antonio Council for International Visitors.

Ricketts said in an email that if he is elected he intends to put more deputies on the streets with different shifts to combat a rise in crime in Precinct 4 during the pandemic.

That includes deputies working on Saturdays, which Ricketts said has not been the case for four years.

Ricketts said he intends to get every community in the precinct more involved with the constable’s office to better serve the entire area.

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About the Authors:

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.

Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star.