The holiday season is a festive time of cheer and merriment—families and friends gather to celebrate and reflect on all they have to be grateful for. On the colder nights of December, the hallowed celebration of peace on earth and goodwill to mankind is for many the centerpiece of celebration. But for many families, peace—and what it takes to keep it—is not only the focus of the holidays, but of their entire lives.
The men and women of our local law enforcement agencies ensure that we experience peace throughout the season—often at the expense of their own downtime and safety. Among them is Precinct 3 Constable Ryan Gable, a long-time champion of community safety in The Woodlands.
The Spirit of the Law
With 32 years in law enforcement, 13 as elected constable, Ryan Gable leads by what he calls “the spirit of the law”—its deeper purpose of service and understanding.
“I want to make sure that our people are utilizing the spirit of the law when we know we can enforce the color of the law, definitely around the holidays,” Gable says.
As a constable elected by the people, Gable endeavors to execute his office diligently for our benefit, setting an example and engaging the community with service, with the ultimate goal of glorifying God.
Vigilance through “Vacation Watch”
When asked about his experiences as an officer of the peace from Christmases past, Constable Gable somberly responded that though holidays can bring about joy, it is also a time of year where criminals seek to take advantage of the public. He recounted many holiday calls that invoked sadness and the dangers of the service rather than festive cheer.
“A person running into a store quickly and maybe they forget their bag or purse, or something is visible in a vehicle—those are the things we see ramp up; crimes of opportunity.”
Gables says that educating one’s family to be on guard and recognize crime is one of the best ways to help keep our community safe.
The Precinct 3 office offers various online services and programs to help the public in this effort, including “Vacation Watch,” a program in which deputies will conduct perimeter checks of out-of-towners’ homes, even relocating packages from their front doors. Gable said that his office does thousands of Vacation Watches a year. They like to hold the bar high when it comes to setting the example of service and safety in our community.
Giving at Work
Gable believes the best way to celebrate the season is by serving and giving generously. Every year, the constable’s office holds department celebrations with gift exchanges among the team, even giving away sports tickets.
But the Precinct 3 office is not only charitable internally. Through its Community Relations office, the constable’s office recently gave $2,500 to clothe needy children in Montgomery County, and they frequently work with organizations such as Interfaith of The Woodlands, Toys for Tots, Children’s Safe Harbor, and the Texas Youth Summit with the goals of protecting the children of Montgomery County and serving those in need.
Family is First
When not on duty during the holidays, Constable Gable sees the season as all about family. Gable shares two children with his high school sweetheart and wife of 30 years, Heather. Gable holds firmly to the belief that family is first, and he works hard for his deputies to prioritize the same.
“Being gone on Christmas and Thanksgiving—that’s just part of the job,” Gable says. “And as you have an opportunity to move up or hold a higher rank, you can allow people under you that have children to get to be at home on Christmas. Us that didn’t have children at the time, we worked for those who did.”
When enjoying downtime from his duties as constable, Gable can be found celebrating with extended family, enjoying the thrill of college football, watching family-favorite holiday movie, “A Christmas Story,” and spending time hunting.
Service is Paramount
In spite of the daily challenges that our law enforcement officers face, Constable Gable and his office seek to lead by example, educate the public, and serve the community. He and his deputies see service as paramount in a season that demands so much from him and his staff.
“Probably one of the most important things to me is, where God places you, you represent that position in God’s will,” Gable says.
In a season that proclaims “peace on earth,” were it not for officers like Constable Ryan Gable who have devoted their lives to securing this peace on our behalf, we would not have been able to realize that peace so abundantly here in The Woodlands.
This holiday season, may we remember to thank members of law enforcement and their families for their great sacrifice.
“I want to make sure that our people are utilizing the spirit of the law when we know we can enforce the color of the law, definitely around the holidays,” Gable says of community safety.