Retired Gonzales police captain returns as criminal investigator

When former Gonzales Police Captain Allen Taylor decided to pursue a new venture in law enforcement – this time as a reserve criminal investigator with Precinct 4 Constable John Moreno’s office in Smiley – he did so not only with great gusto, but with an unbridled passion for serving the citizens of Gonzales County.

 Taylor has 37 years of law enforcement experience – including 22 with the Gonzales Police Department.

“God provided me with a talent for law enforcement criminal investigations, and I was given the opportunity to provide this service to the citizens of this county, which is where my heart has always been,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he decided to take the job after being notified of the opportunity to become a part of the constable’s office on March 8, a few days after the Republican primary election. He added that for now it is a reserve position, but that he is willing to go full-time as soon as he is needed.

“Hopefully in the future this could either turn into a part-time or full-time position,” he said. “For now, I’m blessed to have been given this opportunity by Constable Moreno, County Judge Pat Davis and all the county commissioners for opening the position which will allow to serve our county.”

Taylor said that he looks forward to working with Moreno and serving the citizens of the precinct.

“I just want to be a part of criminal investigations with this precinct and other agencies in Gonzales County,” he said. “I really believe that by working together as a team, we’ll be able combat the crime in the area.”

Taylor began his career as a reserve deputy with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office in November 1983, before moving on in November 1984 as a deputy jailer with the Waller County Sheriff’s Office. Soon he became a patrol officer.

“In September of 1986 I went to the Hempstead Police Department as a patrol officer and investigator,” he said. “Then in October of 1988 I joined the Gonzales Police Department as a patrolman, quickly moving up the ranks of detective, lieutenant and captain over criminal investigations until my retirement in May of 2018.”

However, Taylor decided to continue with GPD until May 2020 as a reserve officer.

When asked what coaxed him out of official retirement, he said: “[In a way] I really haven’t come out of retirement. But given the opportunity I’d like to be able to serve the citizens of this county in a full time position. I’ll definitely take the opportunity without a doubt.”

For his part, Constable Moreno feels Taylor will be welcomed with open arms by the community, and considers him the ideal person for the job.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Taylor to precinct four,” he said. “We’re pleased to have a person of his caliber working with us, and look forward to accomplishing great things in the future with him.

Correction: In the Thursday, July 23 edition of the Gonzales Inquirer, we mistakenly reported during a feature story on Precinct 4 Reserve Criminal Investigator Allen Taylor that he worked for the Gonzales Police Department for 22 years, when he actually worked there for 32 years. We apologize for any inconvenience this error may have caused.