Copperas Cove police hold promotion ceremony

By BRITTANY FHOLER

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Police Department held a promotion ceremony in the Police Department’s Meeting Room on Oct. 28 for Rick Counter, who was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant.

“The promotion process for the lieutenant position was a multi-phased process with the goal of identifying the best qualified officer for advancement,” said Capt. Gabriel Cardona.  

The process consisted of a written examination, an internal interview board and Assessment Center comprised of persons outside of the CCPD agency to conduct an independent evaluation of the candidates. Evaluators included the Copperas Cove Assistant Director of Public Works, a lieutenant from Belton Police Department, the Copperas Cove Public Relations Director Kevin Keller and a captain from the Office of the Attorney General.

“The promotion process is extremely taxing on the candidates, each of whom are to be commended for their commitment and results,” Cardona said. “Although only one candidate was selected to fill the single vacancy, each of them demonstrated qualities and professionalism worthy of promoting to this position.”

The position of lieutenant is a mid-level management position, with the individual receiving direct supervision from the police captain. The lieutenant performs a variety of routine and complex Public Safety work in the performance and administration of police patrol, investigation, traffic regulation, and related law enforcement activities. A lieutenant plays a vital role in the daily supervision and development of subordinate personnel while ensuring conformance to local, state and federal laws.

Counter has been a resident of Copperas Cove for more than 35 years. He graduated from Copperas Cove High School in 1999 and began his career with the Copperas Cove Police Department in 2008. After successful completion of the Police Academy, he served for four years as a patrol officer, he was selected to serve as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Division in 2013, where he investigated a wide range of cases until his promotion to sergeant in 2020.

During his time with the department, Sgt. Counter served in various roles throughout the department to include field training officer, Honor Guard and peer support. He holds a Master Peace Officer Certification and an associate degree and has attended various technical schools “that enhance his capabilities to serve the community as a police officer, such as blood stain pattern analysis, criminal interview and interrogation and homicide and questioned death scene investigation,” said Police Chief Eddie Wilson.

Deputy Chief Jeremy Alber shared a few words about Counter after Counter’s wife, April, pinned his badge on him.

“I've always said Rick's brain fires at a different level than what anybody else’s brain fires on,” Alber said. “He and Capt. Cardona could probably be blood related in some manner. Their brains fire on different levels that I don't necessarily comprehend. I've never met a more analytical person. On midnight shift, I know he would be out patrolling, and he had a book of all the stuff that he'd seen throughout the night and where to go to get into more mischief. I just know that that's how he conducts himself, and I know that that's how he commands the people below him operate as well.”

Chief Wilson spoke next and joked that his speech was the version for if H.R. wasn’t in the room.

“He’s accomplished all that Capt. Cardona has read off to you, but I will tell you from my perspective, the reason that he is promoting today is, hear me out, he doesn’t care,” Wilson said.

Wilson went on to explain that Counter “doesn’t care” about what it takes to get a mission accomplished or who he will need on his team to do the mission.

“So, imagine setting a goal for yourself and not being impeded by those types of obstacles. That's why he's here. He took the most direct route, when he was ready, and locked in to do this,” Wilson said. “He's only been doing this job [as Sergeant] a couple of years, and he's already promoted to the next step, so I can't say enough about this guy. I think I was a lieutenant when he came in, and just having that front row seat and that opportunity to watch grow from where he started where he is today, it's just been a great ride.”