MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – Chad Dodge, 42, was officially sworn in Tuesday as a deputy constable for the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables Office.
"I've had jobs and I've been good at work and everything else but I’ve never actually gone after something like this, ever," Dodge said.
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Dodge’s journey to becoming a deputy constable started three years ago. At the time, he was a social media editor and weighed about 470 pounds.
In December 2016, Dodge decided to make life changes, starting with gastric bypass surgery, a healthy diet and workout routine.
"I started working out and joined the academy last year at Houston Community College and I graduated in June," Dodge said.
Dodge now weighs in at 235 pounds. He told KPRC 2 the key to his success is setting goals.
"You have to have a goal and the goal was to become a deputy. So anytime something crept in my mind, I just had to refocus," Dodge said.
There were hiccups along the way. Dodge said he failed a gun range test, but was determined and driven -- attributes that didn’t go unnoticed.
"We want them to have a desire to be here not just for a paycheck or another job. And when someone like Chad Dodge comes up here and has a desire to be here, to serve the public here in east Montgomery County, that’s what we want," Chief Deputy Barry Welch said.
Dodge still has to undergo some field training before he can go out on his own.
He expects it to last a few months and said he will add it to his list of goals.