Radios

The county commissioners and the Sheriff agreed to purchase new in car radios and handled radios during their September 2019 meeting. The radios became available to the deputies November of 2019. The deputies report they are working better than the old radios and are happy with them.

The county commissioners and the Sheriff agreed to upgrade the existing radio system to a newer one during their October 2019 meeting. This will take place at the beginning of the year. With the new system including antennas and repeaters, there will not be a dead spot in the county. This new system will not just benefit the Sheriff’s Office but also Texas EMS, Granbury P.D., Lipan City Marshall’s Office, and all of the Volunteer Fire Departments.

Cell Phones

The county commissioners and the Sheriff purchased cellphones for the deputies in November of 2019. They are to be used for work related purposes. This includes calls where the complainant would rather talk to a deputy on the phone instead of in person. The deputies can also utilize them to photograph crime scenes. The cell phones include several apps to help the deputies. They have access to their computer-Aided Dispatch, their Records Management System,T X Penal Code, work email, and a Push To Talk feature.

Training

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) currently mandates a 40 hour Crisis Intervention Training and an 8 hour De-escalation class. Each Peace Officer in the State of Texas is required to complete these by the end of 2020. Theses classes teach them how to identify the signs of mental illness and excited delirium. Most importantly it addresses several avenues and resources to assist the individual. The classes are taught by the two deputies from their Mental Health Unit, Crisis Clinicians from Pecan Valley, and several other agencies. Additionally, on top of employing two mental health deputies, the Sheriff’s Office has an in house Crisis Clinician from Pecan Valley.

Campaign Donations 

Sheriff Roger Deeds does not solicit campaign donations from his employees. However, many of them do contribute on their own. An overwhelming majority of his employees believe in and trust him. He does not administer hiring, transfers, promotions, pay increases, and discipline based on political motivation. Sheriff Deeds handles business to ensure what needs to be done is fair for the employee, county, and its citizens.