More Contract Deputy News

Once again the contract deputy program is back in the news. What I found strange in the chronicle's article is a seemingly turn around for County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia. Read this other blog post to take a look at the turn around. First, here are the nuts and bolts of the contract deputy program;


A neighborhood, or a utility district enter into a contract with the county for extra patrol. The district (meaning neighborhood, business, and utility for my purpose) pays somewhere around $56,000 (a ballpark figure) to the county who assigns a deputy (sheriff or constable). The deputy is contracted to spend 70% to 80% of their working time in the district. Granted, a lot of the job there is public relations, but, the deputy patrolling is a peace officer and bound by the same rules, laws, etc. as are all peace officers in Texas.


This naturally leads to critics' arguments of (1) this only benefits rich neighborhoods, (2) residents of the districts are unofficially exempt from law enforcement actions, (3) people who do not live in the neighborhood are 'hassled,' (4) the deputies are 'owned' by the homeowner association/MUD/business district/etc.
Many lower class neighborhoods have a contract deputy due to MUD taxes.
District residents complain all of the time about being ticketed, or arrested by their 'neighborhood' deputy
It's still a free country. Deputies cannot arrest or detain anyone without cause.
Boards are told all the time that there are issues the deputy cannot get involved in and to handle it themselves.
Also, many unincorporated areas would not have a police presence (unless someone dialed 911) if it weren't for contract deputies.


The crux of this story if the sheriff's department. They are short handed and have been for years. The simple solution would be not to enter into a contract unless sufficient personnel are available. The majority of the contract districts are patrolled by constables. This does unnecessarily created bad blood between many in the sheriff's department and constable's departments. Apparently unknown by many, constables are police officers. They were the original police force in Texas (before statehood). Nowadays, constables generally serve civil papers, however constables have full police powers and can (and do) make arrests. Remember, it was constables who arrested Sheriff Tommy Thomas' son Brent. It was also constables who arrested Houston Mayor Bill White's daughter for driving while intoxicated. There are two schools of thought on this. Some say to integrate the sheriff's department with all of the constable departments (can someone tell me, does the sheriff's department still not recognize peace officer certifications outside its own academy). Others say to let the constables handle the contract deputy programs and let the sheriffs handle the rest of the county. Either way, both departments serve essentially the same purpose. Certainly no disrespect to the sheriff's department, but they are not the only topping on the pizza despite what many of them may think.

Yeeee Hawwww!!!!!!

Remember when I commented on the this story? I knew then the so-called world court was going to butt in and say Texas should not execute Jose Medellin. As predicted, the world court has sided with the convicted rapist-murderer. However, true to Texas tradition, the execution is on! Since these stories are more about the impotent world court, I'm posting a photograph of the girls who were raped and murdered by this thug and his friends. From the chronicle article;


"The Mexican government reasons that "the paramount interest in human life is at stake..."
How about the lives of these two girls? How come Mexico nor the UN seem to care about what happened to them?


Randy Ertman, father of Jennifer Ertman is quoted, "The world court don't mean diddly! This business belongs in the state of Texas. The people of the state of Texas support the execution. We thank them. The rest of them can go to hell."

Amen Randy!

Chronicle Campaign Ad

Late Precinct 7 Constable A.B. Chambers with Constable May Walker in 2005

Today the Houston Chronicle has this nice puffy piece about Democratic DA candidate Clarence Bradford, the former chief of HPD. The reason I call it a campaign piece is the whole story reads about Bradford. Not to mention the only reference to his Republican opponent is "oh yeah, he is running against Pat Lykos who is an aggressive campaigner, but poor Bradford has had bad days." Go ahead and read the piece for yourself. However, I did notice one glaring problem with the story.

"The county never has elected an African-American to a law enforcement job."

What is Mr. Bernstein up to? Mr. Bernstein has forgotten about the 1973 election of AB Chambers as the first black Constable in Harris County. He was defeated later in 2001 by Perry Wooten, who wound up being charged with abuse of power and theft by a public servant and convicted (a friend of mine was in court and witnessed Wooten walking in proclaiming "Perry Wooten in da house!" Like a damned rapper, but that's another post for another day). Then, the voters of Harris County Pct. 7 elected May Walker, Harris County's first black, female constable. So Mr. Bernstein, just where did you get your information from?

MUFON Reports UFO Near Crawford

World Net Daily has this interesting piece about an unidentified flying object spotted in Erath County, near President Bush's ranch.

"Most of the time, the object moved at approximately 60 miles per hour, but at one point accelerated to 532 miles per hour in 30 seconds and then slowed to 49 miles per hour 10 seconds later."

I wonder how much gas goes for in outer space?

Lewis Blacks' "End of the Universe"

I just had to post this. Believe it or not, most Houstonians scratch their heads also.

The Naughty Professor Indeed

In another email scandal, Ronald Ayers, an economics professor at University of Texas as San Antonio is in a little hot water. Remember when I said in previous posts that private sector company emails should be compared to public servant emails to illustrate hypocrisy? Well, as an example I cite Professor Ayers. He apparently has an appetite for his female students. While any red-blooded heterosexual male can certainly understand, however personal ethics and one's superego needs to step in and say "down boy!" Click here to read some of his emails. Make for some very interesting reading. Looks like he doesn't have much respect for women regardless of their situations (personally whether she be a stripper, or a lawyer, treat her like a lady) Sounds like something an anonymous sex blogger would write, not a professor using company email.

Ghost Driver?

Someone sent this in to the Coast to Coast website claiming they got a ghostly figure in their car. I don't know where this is, but from the stickers on the windshield, it is somewhere in Texas. Personally, I don't see anything. Although if I wanted to believe something was there I'm sure I could make out a face somewhere. The story is here.