BILL RIOS APPOINTED NEW BURLESON CO. SHERIFF
Burleson County has appointed its next sheriff, following the passing last month of Sheriff Gene Hermes.

sheriff of Burleson County at a ceremony on
Tuesday at the courthouse.
(courtesy Burleson Co. Sheriff's Office)
Chief Deputy Bill Rios was sworn in today (Tuesday) and will serve in the post until the end of 2026 or once a sheriff is elected in a special election. Rios was appointed by Burleson County Commissioners on Monday.
Rios has been Burleson County’s chief deputy since July 2023 after originally joining the sheriff’s office as a reserve deputy and later becoming a school resource officer. He moved to Burleson County in 2019 after retiring from the Houston Police Department, where he started his law enforcement career in 1983.
The sheriff’s office says Rios will wear the badge of the late Sheriff Hermes for the beginning of his time as sheriff.
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