My Story
Thank you for taking a few minutes to get to know me and my history just a little bit better. I look forward to engaging the community through this process and truly bringing community and law enforcement closer together. I have enjoyed Collin County for the past 21 years and have found it to be an amazing place to raise a family. My family and I have resided in McKinney for the last 10 years and we are extremely motivated to keep this county a great place to live and work. Since I am originally from Southern California I can absolutely appreciate what North Texas, and specifically Collin County, has to offer. To be clear, I consider myself a California refugee and have immersed myself into the Texas culture.
It was in Collin County that I met my beautiful wife, Lailani, and we had our children Alexander and Victoria. Lailani and I met in 2002 and she has been standing next to me with strength all these years. Law enforcement is a unique career for many reasons but also for its strain on a family. My family has been my rock through all of the rough times and through the best of times. I am confident, and certain our friends will agree, that she is the reason why I am the man I am today. I was blessed to have my father-in-law, 4 tour Vietnam veteran, live in our home for the last 12 years of his life. During that time we became close, and I always valued his counsel along with his mentorship in life. The last couple years of his life he was determined to be here to help me accomplish taking office as the Constable of Collin County, Pct. 4. Paul Roblee was so excited at the prospect of pinning my badge on during the swearing in ceremony his eyes would lite up when he spoke of it. God rest his soul, but we lost Paul in April of 2021 to a long battle with illness. Before he passed he made me promise I would follow the path God put me on and that is exactly what I intend to do. It was God’s plan all along and I am forever grateful he knew better than me what needed to happen.
My professional story begins in 1996 in Bastrop, TX and with my Godfather by the name of Paul Alexander. Paul was a man of integrity and was a shining example of his generation having served 4.5 tours in Vietnam. Paul eventually went on to retire from the Bastrop Police Department, TX after 27 years, and he is who mentored me in my early professional years.
He encouraged me to apply with the Bastrop Co. Sheriff’s Office, which I did, and in 1997 at the age of 19 years old I began my law enforcement career. I started as a corrections officer and worked in the jail until 1998 when I decided I wanted to try something a little bit bigger than the Sheriff’s Office, so I joined the United States Army. After completing basic training and infantry school at Ft. Benning, GA I reported to the 101st Airborne Division, Ft. Campbell, Ky to really begin my military career. I had become a proud member to the 187th Infantry Regiment, AKA the RAKKASANS!
While with the 101st I earned my Air Assault wings, Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Award, Army Service Ribbon, and qualified expert with 3 different weapons systems and grenades. I also served as a radio transmitter operator position for our platoon. Unfortunately, a medical condition was found during my service that requires taking medication to control. In any other job this would not be an issue, however because I was an infantryman I was declared to be medication dependent/non-deployable. The U.S. Army doesn't have a tremendous need for infantryman that can't deploy around the world so I was medically discharged. I was discharged under a Honorable Conditions. I enjoyed my service in the Army, however God had a different plan and I’m glad he did.
In 2002 I joined the Collin County Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer. I quickly promoted to Sergeant in 2003 and took over the admission and release section before being transferred to the Collin County Misdemeanor Courthouse. In that position, I supervised 10 officers and managed staff transports of inmates and overtime staffing requirements. I routinely coordinated between each judge and the District Attorney’s Office during trials that attracted attention to ensure our security wasn’t compromised.
After a couple of years I transferred to the Field Operations Division as a Deputy Sheriff and stayed there until I transferred to the Constable's Office, Pct. 4 in 2015. While serving the community as a deputy I was able to pick up a tremendous amount of experience. I served as a field training officer, instructor, firearms instructor, and graduated from basic and advanced SWAT courses. I served on the Sheriff’s Office tactical team (SWAT) as an operator, assistant team leader, and finally a team leader my last three years. I had a great time on the tactical team working with an awesome group of professionals and also had the opportunity to train at CSAT in east Texas with a retired U.S. Army Delta Force operator in Paul Howe. I picked up a tremendous amount of information about leadership, attention to detail, and forward planning from him and many others that will serve me greatly as the next Constable of Collin County. During my later years at the Sheriff’s Office I had the honor to be elected 4 years straight to be deputies voice as President of the Collin County Deputies Association. We accomplished some great things there with the Blue Christmas program and starting the very first multi-agency Thin Blue Line Ball in Collin County, which is now under America's Defenders Foundation. I was humbled and honored to represent such a wonder group of law enforcement officers during my time leading the association.
In 2016, Lailani and I, founded a non-profit organization in America's Defenders Foundation. This is an organization that serves the law enforcement and veteran communities in Texas. We are blessed that in Oct. of 2021 we kicked off a new chapter of the foundation in Florida! To be the founders of an organization that strives to give back to our communities dedicated professionals has been a great privilege.
I currently serve as an active law enforcement officer in North Texas.
I have learned a great deal in management styles and the ability to create a proper budget that allows the agency to function the entirety of the fiscal year without having to go back to the commissioner’s court for more money each quarter. While serving as Chief Deputy I have had the privilege of attending and graduating from the 55th Class of Executive Leadership School hosted by ILEA in Plano. This is a post grad level leadership course for executives of law enforcement agencies all over the United States. I have learned there are many aspects of management at the law enforcement executive level pertaining to equipment logistics, continued training, man power issues, morale, budgets, and navigating the waters of personnel related issues and human resources. It has been a great experience that allows me to intimately understand how all of the components of an agency come together and work in unison.
I understand that an organizations greatest asset is the people that are employed there. It’s really something to see a group of accomplished and motivated people work together towards a common goal for the good of the community. It’s a beautiful sight and one I hope see a lot more of in coming years!
Pol. Adv. paid for by the Rumfield for Constable Campaign, Lailani Rumfield, Treasurer.
