It’s been a good week, but a very busy one. We seem to have been from one end of the county to the other during the weekend and this week is starting out the same. The weather has been good, but we still need some good rain to soak up the ground. Well let’s get to it and see where we’re at.

The jail is holding steady up one day and down the next. We had district court last Thursday and county court this Monday, and nothing much changes. District court we are still watching cases go by, waiting for a trial date and in county court everything pleads out, one way or the other. The hardest thing for officers who actually care, is knowing that they have no control over a case once it is filed. The district and county attorneys have complete control over all cases and have no obligation to prosecute. All you can do is pray that you get the right prosecutor and that he is committed to his job. We do have or had one thing and that is Court Watch. Court Watch was established here in San Saba over three years ago to watch the drug cases as they made their way through the system, and it helped. We need to keep programs like court watch going here in San Saba County. Not to force or push anyone around, but to encourage prosecution and show those involved with the court system that they do have the community on their side. Too often the prosecutors are ganged up on multiple defense attorneys and family members of the suspects and it is the prosecutor against the world, so maybe it falls to us to stop this unfair gang fight going on and put some support in the prosecutions corner. Well it’s something to think about anyway.

This week is Red Ribbon Week in Texas and we are running full speed into it. Monday we were in Cherokee and kicked the week off with the students and teachers in a fast way. The Sheriff’s Office is pushing the topic this year of Choices and Consequences and the good and bad of each. We will be in each and every school in San Saba County during this week and have the first part of next week reserved for any emergencies that arise and disrupt our schedule. I am always impressed with the quality of teachers that we have in this county. In all three schools we see teachers and staff ready to not only work with you on the programs, but to give you their ideas and thoughts as to where to go next. The Sheriff’s Office believes it to be one of our greatest privileges to be able to work with not only the teachers and staff of each school, but to make contact with each and every student in this county. The best chance for change comes at the smallest level and that is working with a child in school, church and or any place that we get the chance. The children of this community are our greatest resource and therefore the Sheriff Office's greatest responsibility.

We are currently working toward a community policing committee here in San Saba County. We have one in place in Cherokee and this week through next week we will be doing the same here in San Saba and in Richland Springs as well. This committee will be working hand in hand with the San Saba Sheriff’s Office and will be a very important part of the future community policing programs to come. We will use this committee to not only raise money to spend in our community, but to help us make the decisions on what to spend it on and what problems to focus on. There is a lot to community policing and a lot to be gained from it. The Sheriff’s Office believes that the more individuals involved in a community, the greater the change. We have had a fine example of this by watching our volunteer EMS for over thirty years. Individuals from this community saw a need, took a stand, went to work and have saved a lot of lives through their efforts directed toward helping this community. You don’t have to be on the committee to help, watch the papers for events and fundraisers and come get involved. We are working toward a safer and brighter county and we want everyone to be involved. The start of the committee will be to raise funds to continue to work in the school, assist with the narcotics / K-9 program and to help start up a community watch program of some type in each area of our county.

There was a structure or house fire on county road 113 this week and we need to keep not only the victims of fires in our prayers but all our fire fighters as well. The fire department did a good job fighting the fire, but have you ever noticed how much equipment is involved in fighting a structure fire? There seems to be miles of hoses stretched out and wound around everything. The firemen fight the fire, exhausting themselves and then they have to clean up and roll up and pack up everything. Well we're going to help with this when possible. We already know that there are those who come to the fires and cannot fight the fire, yet are willing to help do what they can. I have spoken with the San Saba Fire Chief and we are going to do what we can to assist. We generally have 3 to 5 inmates here in county jail at any given time. We only keep the low risk and non violent inmates in our jail. We will do our best to bring some individuals to assist the fire fighters with cleanup. The inmates will get their community service hours and the fire fighters will get some much needed assistance. The reason we are putting this in the paper is so that the community is aware of this and it does not come as a shock seeing inmates working alongside our fire fighters.

Well it’s time to get to school, got some elementary students who are expecting us this morning. I want to thank all of those for the prayers and the support over the first two years and ask for them over the next two to twenty. We would like to remind you to call if you need to report anything and you can reach us a 325-372-5551 or 5432 or if an emergency just call 911.