On Dec. 3, 2025, Joel Martin — a long‑time Hays County volunteer peace officer, small‑business owner and former Rollingwood police detective — formally announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Hays County judge in the March 2026 primary. In his press release Martin said Hays County is “powered by the people who serve it” and that his vision is grounded in servant leadership. He argued that when county employees are respected, equipped and empowered, the entire community benefits. The announcement outlines priorities such as building a strong county workforce culture, modernizing consumer protections, strengthening safeguards for families and small businesses, and improving public safety. Martin wrote that he wanted to “invest in our people, modernize our tools, and build a culture where collaboration is second nature”.
From a nomadic childhood to public service
Martin writes in his biography that he grew up moving frequently because of his father’s military service, eventually relocating to Texas in 2007. He credits this childhood with teaching him discipline and a strong work ethic; as a young adult he held multiple jobs, from wiring tractors to bartending and firefighting. He says the fire service provided a sense of purpose and community that helped orient his career. After moving to Texas, he considered joining the fire academy but instead applied to the San Antonio Police Department in 2008. He later accepted a position with the Rollingwood Police Department, where he spent eight years juggling investigations, crisis calls and community outreach. Martin notes that his early service as a firefighter instilled “disciplined incident command and clear communication,” principles he still uses.
Law‑enforcement career and community initiatives
During his tenure as a Rollingwood police officer Martin worked on cases that drew regional attention. In a 2014 Community Impact article he explained that he launched the “Slow Down For Me” campaign after noticing many motorists speeding through school zones. The program, developed with the Eanes Independent School District and funded through donations, aimed to raise awareness and enforce traffic laws to keep children safe. Martin told Community Impact that officers would issue citations to violators and that he hoped the program would spread to other districts .
Martin also played a role in the investigation of Chimene Onyeri, the aspiring rapper who later admitted to shooting Travis County District Judge Julie Kocurek. National true‑crime coverage notes that in 2012 a Rollingwood police officer named Joel Martin pulled Onyeri over for speeding and discovered numerous gift cards with stolen bank data. Martin later told CNBC’s American Greed that he sensed something was wrong when he made the traffic stop. CBS Austin reported that Martin arrested Onyeri after the stop and recalled finding re‑encoded gift cards during a search. He described his shock upon learning that Onyeri became a suspect in Judge Kocurek’s shooting. The case underscores Martin’s experience handling complex investigations and his awareness of public safety risks.
In addition to his full‑time police work, Martin has served as a Reserve Deputy Constable in Hays County Precinct 2 since 2017. The role is unpaid, but it allows him to assist with patrols, legal notices and special events across the county. He says he continues to serve in this capacity today.
Building teams in technology and construction
After leaving full‑time law enforcement, Martin transitioned to the private sector. His resume lists managerial roles at technology firms OnRamp, LightEdge and ClearDATA, where he oversaw customer success and operations, managed complex accounts, negotiated vendor contracts, and handled high‑stakes escalations involving cybersecurity and compliance. He notes that these positions taught him cloud computing, infrastructure management and crisis response on a large scale. Martin argues that such experience would help him oversee county operations, modernize systems and manage risk across multiple departments.
Martin later founded a general contracting firm focused on communication, reliability and problem‑solving for both residential and commercial projects. He handled budgeting, scheduling, inspections and subcontractor oversight, and also built an additional business that provided management consulting and software solutions. Martin claims that this small‑business background enhances his understanding of capital projects, facility maintenance, drainage and permitting — responsibilities that often fall under the commissioners court.
Service during disasters and leadership philosophy
Martin writes that he has responded to three major disasters, including the 2025 Kerrville flood, experiences that reinforced the importance of incident command and communication. Through decades of volunteerism in reserve law enforcement and disaster response, he says he learned to coordinate multiple agencies and conduct after‑action reviews for improvement. His leadership philosophy emphasises listening, acting quickly and responsibly, treating people with dignity, solving problems in front of you and documenting work so that processes improve. He also stresses accountability — for himself and others — and giving credit to “people doing the work”. Martin argues that these principles will guide his approach if elected.
Priorities for Hays County
In his candidacy announcement Martin laid out several policy goals:
- Workforce culture: He wants to build a county workforce culture that values empowerment, training and genuine support. A healthy culture, he says, requires clear goals, the right tools and leaders who support employees.
- Modernized consumer protections: Martin proposes updating regulations for home living, working or occupancy and introducing safeguards for families and small businesses.
- Emergency preparedness and public safety: Drawing on his fire‑service and law‑enforcement background, Martin wants to strengthen emergency readiness by bringing agencies together for joint planning and training. He says every county office is a service point and he intends to improve public safety with coordinated strategies and shared data across agencies.
- Financial stewardship: Martin argues that years of managing contracts, accounts and multi‑million‑dollar projects taught him to evaluate spending, demand performance and deliver value to residents. He vows to provide transparent financial stewardship and invest in improvements that impact daily life.
- Communication and transparency: He promises to deliver clear bilingual communication so that every resident stays informed and to push for open data dashboards and consistent reporting from the commissioners court. He wants to modernize operational tools to simplify work for county employees and improve service to the public.
In addition, Martin’s biography lists growth and infrastructure as a priority. He notes that his experience in construction gives him practical insight into planning, cost control and execution of roads, drainage and facilities projects. He pledges to involve experts and neighborhoods early and to be transparent about decisions and budgets.
How his resume aligns with a county judge’s responsibilities
Texas county judges are the presiding officers of their commissioners courts, representing the county in administrative functions, overseeing budgets and serving as heads of emergency management. Martin argues that his blend of public safety, emergency response, enterprise operations and small‑business management gives him the crisis leadership and fiscal discipline needed for this role. His years in law enforcement and reserve service have familiarized him with emergency management and community engagement, while his time in technology and construction has honed skills in project management, budgeting and modernization. He also highlights his understanding of law, noting that he served as a peace officer for more than a decade, has managed civil and criminal processes and has represented himself pro se against large companies in court. This experience, he says, convinced him that residents deserve easier access to legal information and support.
Personal life and values
Martin says he and his wife Tayler are raising their family in Hays County because they believe the area “represents the best of Texas”. He lists accountability, hard work and service as core values — principles he attributes to his upbringing and strives to instill in his children. Throughout his biographical materials he emphasizes respect, honesty and transparency, stating that he wants to solve problems by “doing the work” and building systems that last. He frames his candidacy as an opportunity to ensure Hays County’s growth remains safe and equitable: “When people feel supported, they do their best work, and everyone benefits”.
Reflections on the July floods and workplace culture
In a personal social‑media post shared privately with friends and supporters, Martin wrote that the July 2025 Kerr County floods had a profound impact on him. He explained that he traveled to Kerr County on his own time to assist with public safety and, aside from Constable Michael Torres, was the only representative from Hays County law enforcement. Torres’ leadership and support enabled him to be effective, yet Martin said he was troubled by calls from Hays County residents eager to help who were told by local command, “They will call us if they need us.” He described thinking night after night that this reactive mindset was backward. In the months that followed, Martin said he researched the county’s emergency response and identified a recurring issue: workplace culture inside government offices. He argued that while Hays County’s first responders are dedicated, the broader culture of some departments discourages initiative and collaboration. He urged the county to adopt the high‑performing workplace cultures seen in major technology companies, noting that such companies achieve excellence with fewer resources and greater demands than local government.
Martin used the post to set expectations for his campaign’s tone. Acknowledging that he is “the new guy” facing strong competition, he pledged not to denigrate his opponents and reiterated a personal rule that “you never look down on someone unless you are helping them up.” He wrote that his children would see their father run the race “the right way” regardless of obstacles. Martin thanked his wife for her support and vowed that he will never go silent; if he ever does, he warned, “a storm is building.” He also reiterated his commitment to disaster response, stating that he and his colleagues will not wait for formal requests before helping: “If people need us, we go.” This personal reflection underscores the sense of urgency and moral conviction he says inspired him to seek the county judge’s office.
Looking ahead
The March 2026 Democratic primary will determine whether Martin advances to the November general election. The county judge’s seat is currently held by Ruben Becerra, a Democrat who won re‑election in 2022 and whose term expires at the end of 2026 . Martin’s entry into the race offers voters a candidate with a diverse resume that spans law enforcement, technology, construction and volunteer service. His campaign focuses on servant leadership, modernizing county operations and fostering a culture of accountability.
Disclaimer
The content provided in this publication is for educational and informational purposes only. The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News strives to deliver accurate and impactful stories. However, readers are advised to seek professional legal counsel and guidance for their specific legal inquiries and concerns. The publication does not assume any responsibility for actions taken by individuals based on the information presented.
Additionally, while every effort is made to ensure the reliability of the information, the publication does not warrant the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the content. Readers are encouraged to verify any legal information with official sources and to use their discretion when interpreting and applying the information provided.
A Couple of Our Other Reads
You may be interested in our publishing on the 772 arrest notifications TCOLE received in 2024..
Or you may find our publishing on a newly elected Texas sheriff’s battle with TCOLE over the accuracy of his personal history statement of interest.
Follow Us on Social Media
If you are interested in staying updated on matters about your government in Texas and other important stories, trust The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News to provide reliable information that matters to you. You can follow us on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, Reddit, YouTube, Tumblr, and LinkedIn to stay connected and informed.
FACEBOOK: TheHawksEyeNews
INSTAGRAM: Hawk_s_Eye_C_and_N
X: TheHawksEyeNews
REDDIT: TheHawksEyeCN
YOUTUBE: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
TUMBLR: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
LINKEDIN: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
Table of Contents
Discover more from The Hawk’s Eye - Consulting & News | A Texas News Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.