Brown County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Bobby Duvall released the following statement regarding the passing of Sheriff Bobby Grubbs.
It is with great sadness that the Brown County Sheriff’s Office announces the death of Sheriff Bobby Rex Grubbs yesterday on September 3, 2015. He had suffered a major stroke on Monday. Bobby Grubbs took office on January 1, 2005 and had served as sheriff through most of three terms. Prior to being elected as sheriff, Bobby was a Texas Ranger and had been with the Texas Department of Public Safety for 34 years.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office, consisting of 75 employees, had great respect for Sheriff Grubbs. He was a colorful man of strong character, high standards, and demanding expectations. He believed all his employees should objectively see the needs of the community and strive to protect and serve all citizens, especially the innocent and weak, and those with little power to protect themselves. He held the Sheriff’s Office to a high degree of accountability and made it abundantly clear he would not tolerate behavior that embarrassed the Sheriff’s Office or the law enforcement profession. His single-mindedness on internal accountability, personal integrity, and organizational discipline created an atmosphere that brought many, many successes to the Sheriff’s Office. His administrative staff worked in regular admiration of the work accomplished by the employees, who immensely enjoyed their identification with the mission of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.
Grubbs loved the high calling of law enforcement and believed society was best served with aggressive criminal law enforcement that especially targeted drug trafficking and violent criminals. He believed in strategic police work and wanted meticulous reports that reflected accurate and thorough investigations. His officers and jailers were expected to work as true public servants using good discretion while at the same time guarding the constitutional rights of those they contacted.
Bobby Grubbs loved the Sheriff’s Office with great passion and his employees reciprocated their respect in hard work and professional outcomes. His love for his wife, his children, and his grandchildren fueled his personal desire to make the community safe for families. He loved his church family at the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. Bobby Grubbs was especially proud of and loyal to the Texas Ranger Service of the Texas Department of Public Safety and he certainly carried the high standards of the Ranger Service into the Sheriff’s Office.
The employees of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office want to remind Brown County citizens that they intend to carry on with the mission of the Sheriff’s Office and work hard to protect the citizens they serve. In these ominous times when law enforcement is especially dangerous, the prayers and thoughts of Brown County citizens are especially appreciated. Sheriff’s Office employees also want to emphasize the importance of keeping the family of Sheriff Grubbs in the thoughts and prayers of the community in this very difficult time.
Visitation will be September 7, 2015, Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Austin Avenue Church of Christ, located at 1020 Austin Avenue in Brownwood, Texas. The funeral will also be at the Austin Avenue Church of Christ on Tuesday, September 8th at 1:30 p.m. Interment is at the Indian Creek Cemetery in southern Brown County.
Above: Honor and respect for Grubbs was symbolized with black bands on the badges of all deputies. Below: Flags were flown at half staff at the Brown County Law Enforcement Center.
