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NEDERLAND — Just hours after being sworn in as chief of police for the city of Nederland, Rod Carroll was swept into a whirlwind of media interviews, public introductions and saying hello to a group of children from a child development center.

 

And that was just a slice of his first day at the helm of the department; there is much more to come. 

 

Carroll has been in law enforcement for 37 years having served as chief of police in Vidor as well as with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and more. He likens the move back to Jefferson County as ‘coming home.’

 

Looking toward the future of the department Carroll would like the agency to achieve the Texas Police Chief’s Best Practices accreditation — a task that he oversaw while at Vidor PD. 

 

“That’s going to take a while,” Carroll said. It’s 182 benchmarks that we have to meet. It took me four years for Vidor to get it, and hopefully I can do it in two years here now.”

 

The accreditation is important to Carroll as it shows a level of professionalism. 

 

“Less than 3% of all law enforcement agencies have achieved that, and I think it says something about the ability of us to serve the citizens and also making sure our officers are being properly trained to do their jobs every day,” he said.

 

Carroll is also interested in participating in a real-time crime center such as the one Beaumont Police Department has. The city-wide initiative by the police department is a way to work smarter, not harder, he said.

 

Decision makers in law enforcement in Jefferson, Hardin and Orange counties met in 2024 and decided a RTCC would be beneficial to the area. Leaders agreed the best option is to operate from one facility than have them access the information remotely. 

 

A RTCC is an integration of cameras and license plate readers that are on patrol cars as well as fixed cameras. Through the cameras law enforcement is able to view traffic and other action. A recent example of this is a fatal shooting that occurred in Beaumont where a man on a motorcycle allegedly shot a man that was cutting his grass. A photo of the suspect was distributed less than an hour after the incident and an arrest was later made.

 

Carroll was chosen for the chief’s spot following the retirement of Chief Gary Porter at the end of May. 

 

Porter retired his position after nearly 50 years of service in law enforcement. City council appointed Fire Chief Terry Morton as interim police chief during the May 19 city council meeting.

 

The City received 10 applications both internal and external for the chief of police job. 

 

Nederland Mayor Jeff Darby said the city had some great candidates but Carroll stood out. Carroll also made a positive impression when he spoke of his desire to see the department earn the Texas Police Chief’s Best Practices accreditation.

 

Darby said the city recognizes that to achieve the goal will take funding above what has been spent in the past. 

 

“I know he will do good things,” Darby said, adding that Carroll has a good crew at NPD. 

 

Darby also offered thanks to Morton for stepping in for 51 days and serving as both fire chief and police chief. 

 

Carroll is happy to be back in Nederland, he said. 

 

“You know, I’ve served this community before. I’ve lived in this community. Actually, my wife and I first moved to Jefferson County in 1993 we lived on Avenue N in Nederland, Texas,” Carroll said.. This is where my son was born. We brought him home to this house here in Nederland. I’ve been involved in the Mid County community for 30 years, either through business or through the ambulance service, prior to being law enforcement, coming from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and back to Jefferson County, it’s like coming home. I’m blessed, because not only do I know many of the officers here, but I also know many of the community leaders, the city council, as well as the firemen.”