CPD Captain Blake Gates Announces Departure

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT — Crockett Police Department Captain Blake Gates has become the first CPD officer to announce that he is leaving the department, telling our Houston County News podcast he has accepted a better-paying position in North Texas.

Gates, 34, was born and raised in Crockett. He has spent 13 years in law enforcement, including most of his career with CPD, and will be moving with his wife and two children.

“I’m just going to be moving up to the Dallas area,” Gates said. “I’ve got a wife and two kids here.”

His departure comes as Crockett officials face growing concerns about the department’s ability to retain experienced officers. During the city’s July 6 budget workshop, Police Chief Clayton Smith warned that nine officers had indicated they might seek employment elsewhere if pay concerns were not addressed.

Gates said he believes several other officers may also begin looking for new jobs.

“Honestly, as far as the pay goes, the morale is not good,” he said. “I know another officer, I think, is putting in applications, taking a move. There’s probably going to be several more, and I can’t blame the guys.”

Gates said many CPD officers have established lives in Crockett. They have purchased homes, married and started families, but can earn substantially more by working for agencies in larger communities.

“My whole career, the first five years, it was a training ground,” Gates said. “We had people come in, and two years later they’re gone somewhere else.”

He said CPD has been fully staffed for approximately the past five years and currently has a strong group of officers.

“They want to stay here,” Gates said. “They bought houses here, but they’re not being fairly compensated.”

Gates said his own decision was not made suddenly. He described going through the same cycle year after year — working hard, hoping conditions would improve and waiting for the possibility of a raise.

“I’ve been through this cycle of, you work and then you think, ‘Well, we didn’t get a raise this year. Maybe next year. Maybe things will be better next year,’” he said. “And I’ve done that year after year after year.”

Gates said his new position offers a significant improvement over his current financial situation.

“I’m not starving,” he said. “I make a decent living and try to take care of my family the best I can. But at the end of the day, with the economy like it is, are we still living paycheck to paycheck? Absolutely.”

“It’s much better financially than what I’m used to,” he added.

During his years with CPD, Gates has handled a wide range of responsibilities. He oversees the department’s property and evidence, serves as the city’s emergency management coordinator and handles supplies and ordering for the department.

For approximately five of the last seven years, he worked daily in the property and evidence room.

“You wear many hats,” Gates said. “That’s just something that comes with being a smaller agency or not having enough manpower. The workload doesn’t get spread around evenly. Everybody has to carry a little extra load.”

Gates also became known for his investigative work. Although he originally wanted to become a game warden, he said he discovered that he enjoyed the investigative side of law enforcement, including his work on the ‘Aunt Faye’ murder investigation.

“I figured out I really enjoyed the investigative side of law enforcement,” he said. “I think everybody gets into the job and finds their niche. For me, it was the investigative side of it.”

Gates said his decision to leave is not intended as a criticism of every city official. He acknowledged that some officials support the department and understand the importance of competitive compensation.

“I don’t want to put a black mark on everybody,” he said. “There are officials that do support us and want to — they have our best interests at heart, and I truly appreciate them.”

Still, he said the city must find a way to support the services its residents depend on.

“We’ve got to figure out some way to bring in more money in our community somehow,” Gates said. “I understand that raising taxes every three or four years to give people raises is taxing on the citizens. But as a service, you’ve got to have the police service, the fire service and public works. Those guys are super important as well to keep the city running.”

Gates said he is leaving because an opportunity came along that will allow him to better provide for his family, not because he has stopped caring about Crockett or the people he has served.

“It’s just time for me to step out and try to do something else,” he said.

Although he is preparing to move, Gates said Crockett will remain home.

“I’ve got several deer leases here,” he said. “East Texas roots are in my blood. This is home, and who knows? Maybe one day I’ll end up back here when I finally decide to retire, wherever the Lord calls me.”

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]