Man, has it been busy in San Saba County. It never seems that there is enough time in the day to get everything done anymore. Yet God always blesses and we get it done and then some.

I have had a major change in my life over the course of the last 30 days. Not only did I get a new partner, "Deputy Freddie" who is about to wear me out, but I was also blessed and married Jill this past weekend. We have been married a week and already I think she is trying to kill me, she has me out jogging in the morning and exercising. So, when you see the sheriff struggling down the street, have pity and tell the lady in the front of him to slow down.

The training with the K-9 is slowly moving forward, yet Deputy Freddie and myself have already been to every school campus and all over town. Freddie is excellent with people and loves working with kids. I am hoping that we are on the streets and on patrol within the next 30 days. I plan on testing real soon and yes, Larry Shivener, Freddie can teach me to be as smart as he is.

In law enforcement there is always some controversy going on all the time. One of the things that individuals most like to complain about is the traffic stop. Individuals do not understand that working traffic is how you challenge crime head on. Traffic Enforcement is more than just writing citations or working speed zones. It is about gathering information, making contact with the public and intercepting criminal activity. It is about being seen by the public and the public being aware of the fact that law enforcement is out and working.

Traffic enforcement is a valuable tool and is used for any number of things by law enforcement. We work traffic to slow down speeders, and enforce seat belt laws and any number of minor offences. We also use traffic to remove drunk drivers from our roadways. Drunk drivers kill more individuals across this great state than all the illegal narcotics combined. Alcohol related crashes have affected a number of families in the county and will affect more unless we get hard and stay hard on drunk drivers.

We also use traffic to go after the illegal narcotics that is eating away at our community. We have a huge illegal narcotics problem here in San Saba County. We are not alone, every other county is facing the same problem and they are fighting it as well.

Traffic enforcement is the primary weapon in the fight against illegal narcotics. I have been a narcotics officer right here in this county and the greatest tool and the most controversial one is traffic stops. I have made more arrests and seized more narcotics and vehicles due to traffic enforcement than by any other method. Search warrants and drug buys can account for some, but traffic enforcement is the key to stemming the tide.

In the Oklahoma bombing of the Federal Building where all those individuals were murdered by Timothy McVea, he was not captured by the FBI or CIA or any other agency. He was stopped on traffic by a street cop and arrested. This is just one of hundreds of examples of traffic enforcement uncovering additional crimes. That is why so many officers are killed working traffic, it is one of the most dangerous jobs that we choose to do.

In the next few weeks, we will look at traffic stops and break them down for you. I feel that the majority of us understand that they are very necessary and serve the public well, yet we can always do it better.

Please do not forget to slow down and wear those seat belts. We must all drive more carefully in the school zones and watch out for our busses on the highways. If you see anything at all please call 325-372-5551 or 5432. Thank you for your support and your prayers.