On Oct. 31 – Halloween – the deputies and I passed out candy at downtown events in Houston and Licking. It’s always fun to get a chance to interact with kids and see all of the costumes.
The November elections took place in Texas County without any major law enforcement issues. There were scattered reports of political signs stolen, but no major disturbances or disruptions at polling places.
The weather however was not so cooperative. Historic amounts of rain in a short period of time led to several water rescue calls for deputies and local fire departments. Deputies were dispatched to at least six water-related calls during the early morning hours of Nov. 5. Fortunately, Texas County escaped the flooding without any fatalities. The washed out roads and high water made for a difficult trip to the polls for many citizens. The condition of the county roads will remain an ongoing issue as the townships seek assistance from state and federal agencies to make repairs.
People throughout the United States paused to remember our veterans on Nov. 11, 2024. We have several veterans serving as deputy sheriffs and jailers at the sheriff’s office. I want to personally say thank you to them and all of our veterans for serving our country and helping to preserve the freedoms we enjoy.
On Nov. 13, I had the privilege of speaking to the Cabool Kiwanis Club. I gave an update on sheriff’s office operations and spoke about the upcoming “Shop with a Hero” event in Texas County.
In November, deputies drew case numbers for 12 domestic violence reports and seven thefts as the leading call types for written reports. Some calls are handled with a log entry only depending on the type of call and nature of the crime or issue. After reports are approved, the crime statistics from the county are electronically submitted into the national incident based reporting system.
As November comes to a close, I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve as your sheriff for the next four years. It continues to be the highest honor and biggest challenge of my law enforcement career. I look forward to pursuing updates in technology and resources for deputies to provide effective law enforcement to Texas County.