Caring for the Community: Chris Bronsell


By Trish Johnson l Photos by Studio Ainsley Photography

By Trish Johnson l Photos by Studio Ainsley Photography

Chris Bronsell has spent more than 20 years serving the citizens of Fort Bend County. Just when you think he’d be ready to sit back and slow down, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy is signing up for more.

Not only is he anxious to devote more time to his Precinct 1 community, Bronsell is bringing with him a vision that the Pct. 1 Constable’s Office should be a full-service law enforcement agency. “There is so much the constable’s office can offer to the citizens of Pct. 1,” said Bronsell, who is running for the top job. “Everyone seems to assume that the constables only deal in civil law, serve legal papers and baliff the Justice of the Peace Courts, but there’s so much more we could be doing to serve the taxpaying citizens.

“The constables are Texas Peace Officers just like every other law enforcement officer in the state,” Bronsell emphasized. “They receive the exact same training and are given the exact same authority as any other Texas Peace Officer.  I want to give the citizens of Pct. 1 the service they deserve – a full-service law enforcement agency.”

Although he’s no stranger to politics, throwing his hat into the political arena to run for the job of Fort Bend County Pct. 1 Constable is Bronsell’s first venture into mounting a campaign for himself.  According to Bronsell, who turned 44 in December, he and his wife Mandi have been involved in the Republican Party in Fort Bend County for about 20 years. Mandi owns a political and non-profit fundraising and consulting business that has worked on campaigns from local school board and municipal races all the way to statewide races and everything in between.

Family and Community First

The Bronsell Family: Cody, Chris, Ty, Hannah and Mandi.

The Bronsell Family: Cody, Chris, Ty, Hannah and Mandi.

The Bronsell family is committed to their community.  They spend much of their time volunteering with local charities such as the Fort Bend County Fair, Lunches of Love and Toys for Tots, and both are members of the Rosenberg Lions Club.  They believe that giving back to their community is important and want to teach their children to do the same.

The Bronsells, who met in junior high school, are raising three children: sons Ty (16) and Cody (12), and 10-year-old daughter Hannah. “Hannah is into cheerleading,” shared Bronsell. “She is all cheer, all the time. She has cheered with a competitive team for Texas Thunder for three years.

“Cody is my baseball player,” Bronsell grinned. “He played youth football for a while with the Pecan Grove Hurricanes, but finally settled on baseball.” The Wertheimer Middle School sixth grader plays first and second base for Lamar Little League.

Ty, also a former Pecan Grove Hurricane youth football player, now plays for Foster High School where he takes the field as a center on offense, as well as a defensive lineman. Ty also is a member of Foster High School FFA and participated in the Fort Bend County Fair this year raising rabbits to show.

Mandi, Hannah and Chris Bronsell volunteering with Lunches of Love.

Mandi, Hannah and Chris Bronsell volunteering with Lunches of Love.

Together, the Bronsell clan enjoys mostly outdoor activities.  “We have a travel trailer, and we like to go camping. We try to go about once a month, and we’re usually at Texas state parks where we enjoy kayaking, hiking and fishing together.”  They are also avid hunters and enjoy spending time together at their deer lease in west Texas.

The family attends River Pointe Church where Mandi volunteers at children’s church and Chris works with the traffic control team. “The kids are very involved in youth church,” Bronsell noted. “They enjoy many youth activities through River Pointe such as mission trips, summer camp and Sunday school.”

When the couple, who have been married 21 years, manages to have some free time together, “We enjoy antiquing and traveling together. We love to go on walks with the kids and our dog Roxie,” Bronsell said.

Fort Bend Roots

A fifth generation Texan and a 1990 graduate of Sugar Land’s Dulles High School, Bronsell attended Sam Houston State University, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. “We were married two weeks after I graduated and quickly settled into the Richmond community we loved.”

Following his college graduation, Bronsell graduated from the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy in 1995 and was the first cadet out of his class to be hired by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

He has been a Fort Bend County Deputy Sheriff for 20 years, earning a reputation for integrity, honesty and an unrelentless dedication to duty. “I have seen firsthand how Chris Bronsell’s professional work ethic, fiscal conservatism and strong character will carry over to the office of Pct. 1 Constable,” said Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, a friend since Hegar first ran for the Texas State House in 2002.

“For 20 years, he has demonstrated a clear commitment to serving Fort Bend County with professionalism and honor,” Hegar continued. “Chris has the experience and conservative credentials to make tough decisions, to do what’s right for Fort Bend citizens and to be a tireless leader in the protection and service of the community.  I’m proud to endorse my friend Chris Bronsell in his candidacy for Pct. 1 Constable, Fort Bend County.”

Retired Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Billy Davis, who worked in Fort Bend County with Bronsell, doesn’t hold back when asked his opinion of Bronsell. “I know Chris both professionally and personally, and I’ve been in law enforcement over 38 years,” Davis said. “During that time, I have met lots of people. I found that only a handful were knowledgeable, honest and well-mannered. Chris is one of them. He would treat a homeless person with the same respect he would treat a millionaire. Chris would be an excellent constable. He has good integrity and high morals. He will be an asset to Fort Bend County.”

Chris and Mandi Bronsell at Lamar Education Awards Foundation’s “Surf’s Up, School’s Out.”

Chris and Mandi Bronsell at Lamar Education Awards Foundation’s “Surf’s Up, School’s Out.”

Bronsell’s plan for the constable’s office simply boils down to wanting to expand the services available to Pct. 1 residents and business owners while keeping the quality of the services high. “When I’m constable,” the lawman said, “we will have a good working relationship with all other law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff’s office, the local police departments and Department of Public Safety.  This is imperative for the safety of the community. The Pct. 1 Constable’s Office is comprised of many qualified, hardworking employees. I hope that my vision of a full-service police agency will be greeted with a positive response and that we can all work together for the good of our citizens. In the future, as the county grows, I would see all constables’ offices increasing to have a traffic unit, narcotics unit, as well as a crime prevention unit. The visibility of the constables in our community is one of the most important things that we can provide as a crime deterrent.”

Bronsell’s career path through law enforcement has given him experience in the jail division, patrol division and criminal investigations division. “I’m a pretty well-rounded deputy,” he smiled. “I’ve been a jail deputy, patrol deputy, motorcycle traffic deputy, commercial vehicle enforcement deputy and a crime scene investigator. I’ve done a lot and have learned a lot, being out on the streets for 20 years.” In 2005, Bronsell received his Master Peace Officer license, which is the highest license a law enforcement officer can receive, based on years of experience, education and hours of training. “I grew up in Fort Bend County, I’m raising my family in Fort Bend County, and I plan on retiring here,” stated Bronsell.

When asked why he is running for Fort Bend County Constable, Bronsell simply replied, “Because I care. I care about this county, and I care about protecting our citizens.”

Perhaps Chris Bronsell’s life credo

is most notable in its simplicity: 

Service to others, to the best of your ability.

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Bronsell.

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Bronsell.

 

A good working relationship with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, local police departments and The Texas Department of Public Safety.

Bronsell: “The county is growing so fast, it is imperative that we have a good working relationship with all of the law enforcement agencies in our area.”

A true patrol division.

Bronsell:  “I want our deputies to use their law enforcement training to really be able to help people when they are in a time of need, whatever the situation may be.”

A traffic division.

Bronsell: “We need more traffic control. Traffic congestion around Greatwood and the Sienna Plantation area is a nightmare.”

A narcotics division.

Bronsell: “The narcotics problem isn’t going away. Even if we just have a couple of deputies working the highways and assisting the schools in Pct. 1, we could really make a difference.”

A crime prevention unit.

Bronsell:  “Deputies who will inspect your home and business and give advice on how to better protect your property and self will also be instrumental in organizing Neighborhood Crime Watch Programs in the subdivisions. We must be proactive instead of reactive. I want to have a close working relationship with the citizens of Pct. 1.”

Bronsell’s plan focuses on simply service. “I want to move the office of Pct. 1 Constable forward and give the people the service they deserve,” said Bronsell.

Dr. Shannon Orsak, a board certified emergency medicine physician and longtime Bronsell friend, summed Bronsell up:  “He has the great values of the community I live in and all of the Fort Bend area. Anyone who runs for constable has to have great integrity, and he does. I think Chris Bronsell is a very honest person.”

Visit votebronsell.com for more information.