November is upon us and it not only signals that we are nearing the end of our first year in office, but it was twelve years ago this November that I first went to work for Sheriff John Benner. I was right out of the Academy and I moved to Richland Springs. One of the first things I noticed when on patrol was that at the time, no one locked their doors. Everyone had doors and windows open and it was pretty much like that all across the county. Everyone knew everyone and it had been that way forever. It was something like the Andy Griffith Show and the town of Mayberry.

Well here we are twelve years later and a lot has changed. We no longer leave our doors and windows unlocked and a lot of our neighbors have changed and old ranches have sold and broke into smaller ones. Computers, cell phones, IPODS, and all sort of electrical gadgets rule the day and personal communications seems to be on the way out. Yet here in San Saba, probably better here than anywhere else in Central Texas, I see through all of this and see a community with great potential.

I was not born in San Saba, but I am proud to call it my home now and hopefully till the Lord calls my name. This may seem a little strange, starting my report this way, but lately things have been full speed ahead and change happening at the speed of light within the Sheriff's Office. Yet through all of this I only have to slow down and recall that my goals in law enforcement have not changed from when Kevin Barclift and Les Dawson first trained me twelve years ago. My goal then, as now, is simple. I want to help make a difference. Everyone has this goal in their life in so form or another, yet there is one big difference. I believe now as I did twelve years ago that San Saba is the place where working together we can, will and are making a difference. San Saba has all the core values required to make the changes we need to grow, yet to still hold onto those old time trusted values that have made San Saba what it is today, individuals working together toward a common goal.

The Sheriff's Office believes in these values and will do everything it can to keep up with the changing times in law enforcement, yet still keep the small town values and beliefs. Our goal is to work hard in hand with the community and provide the type of law enforcement necessary to make San Saba a safe place for our children and our grandchildren.

The San Saba Sheriff's Office has a proactive approach to the law enforcement needs here in San Saba. We are pushing forward with new training both on the streets and in the jail. We believe that we must maintain a higher standard of training in order to keep up with the changing needs in San Saba County and the state of Texas as well. We are also pushing forward with the Zero Tolerance for Drugs/Alcohol here in San Saba.

I have seen a number of arrests for Driving While Intoxicated, Driving Under the Influence and for Illegal Narcotics, has tripled since becoming Sheriff and believe this to be due to aggressive patrol. Since January 2009 til November 2009 we have filed a total of 24 DWI and or DUI charges and 11 illegal narcotics charges through this time period.

We have made a total of 141 arrest counting warrants and are averaging twelve arrests per month. These numbers do not include our cases still pending Grand Jury indictments and or on going investigations.

I have been rather busy getting my feet on the ground and that has been no easy task lately, but I have some super staff and it is coming around. I will do my best to get out a sheriff's report and also a jail report as often as possible. I will also be trying to get back on the radio and hopefully work that back into our schedule as well. We want to keep you up on what is going on at the Sheriff's Office since it is you that we work for. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 325-372-5551.

Thank you,

Sheriff Brown