This week before Christmas has been quite a ride for the Sheriff's Office. We have seen a large number of transports, district and county court, had an inmate in the hospital for three days, and numerous calls for service. I am very proud of the way the staff at the Sheriff's Office has stepped up and pitched in. They have really put in the hours this week and everyone has had extra work put on their shoulders. The strain on the budget is nothing compared to the strain on individuals required to meet the new challenges. I believe that everyone at the jail has in one way or another been put behind in their Christmas shopping due to added conditions at work, yet no complaints from any of them. The Sheriff's Office staff is a lot like a family, we may not always like each other every day, but in times of crisis, we all toe the line and push forward for the good of the community and the team. The statement "it's not a job, but an adventure" is an understatement in law enforcement.

I want to really point out two staff members this week that had a very challenging detail and really stepped up and handled it well. Becky Starr, who has been full time for a while, and Jeremy Plumley who has just recently become full time, really excelled this week. They were stationed at the Brownwood hospital to guard an ill prisoner and were there in 12 hour shifts. The challenges that they faced were very difficult and sometimes above and beyond the call of duty, but they did not complain, but instead stepped up and took very good care of the sick prisoner in a very difficult situation. I am very proud of these two jailers and would put not only these two but all of my staff up against any other jail. Good job Becky and Jeremy and keep up the good work. Oh yeah, Jeremy, turning your phone off and hiding it in your daughters diaper bag will not keep us from finding you, as you found out.

We are seeing a lot of increased traffic due to the holidays, and we are getting a lot more calls on reckless drivers. We will be out in force working to slow down drivers this holiday season, just like every holiday for the past two years. We are seeing speed averaging 15 miles above the posted speed limit from the past holidays and that is far too fast for our area. We also want to remind you to wear those seat belts. They can and will save lives, but only if you wear them. Now, one sure way to get a ticket is to not buckle your child into a seat belt or a car seat. I, for one, do not believe in breaks for that offense and believe that every person needs a citation for that offense every time. Please drive safely this wonderful holiday season and let's make it a safe one.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year and also some of the busiest as well. We will receive lots of calls for service concerning domestics and disturbances and each and every one of these will generally involve alcohol and or some type of substance abuse. Please drink in moderation this Christmas season, but if you do party too much and know that you have passed your limit, then get a ride home and keep your hands to yourself. We want everyone to enjoy themselves and to have a wonderful Christmas and please designate a driver to make sure you get home safely. We want to thank the staff at Diggs restaurant for all their hard work to keep the drunk drivers off the road. They are always working to find rides for those that need them, and have done a very good job at it too. That is what we all must do and insist on them taking the ride with you so that they don't have to ride with us. It is a lot of paper work charging someone with DWI, but it is work that we are willing to do if you choose to make a poor decision and drink and drive. We also don't mind doing the paperwork on those individuals who can't keep their hands to themselves and like to put their hands on others. Family violence is not something that we take lightly and we will push each case to the limit for prosecution. There is no excuse for it and every law enforcement officer will arrest for it each and every time. So, let's all work together to make sure that this holiday season is a bright and wonderful time of the year for all.

We are all looking forward to Santa and watching all of the children's excitement as that day draws near. I have watched a lot of elves coming and going from the courthouse and doing a lot of wrapping of angel tree presents. God bless each and every one of you for all your hard work in bringing a smile to a very important persons face, a child. There is nothing like the smile of a child to warm the heart to its very core. A child, unlike adults, loves unconditionally and all the time. They are the greatest gift that God has given us and we need to be thankful each and every day for each one of them in our community. It is our number one goal in the Sheriff's office to work as hard as possible to keep the smile on the faces of our children. If you know any child in need or in trouble, please contact us as soon as possible. You can reach us by phone at 325-372-5551 or 5432 any time day or night.

One more thing before we call it a done deal. We need to also take the time this year to go out of our way to find one person to steal a blessing from. We need to all find one person who may be alone this time of the year and without any family and/or friends to share this blessed season with. Search and find them, and then do something out of the norm or maybe out of our comfort zone and reach out to them and find a way to make them smile. When we share love with a stranger or someone in need, then we ourselves steal a blessing without even knowing it.

God bless and Merry Christmas, from all of us at the San Saba County Sheriff''s Office.