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Cleburne Eagle article Bob Alford Nov. 19, 2007 Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit
We announced the implementation of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Oct. 1st of this year in Johnson County. Deputies Mathew Dill and James Novian are the two officers assigned to this unit at this time.
We have been very pleased with the performance of these deputies, who have taken their duties very seriously and have done their best to achieve our goals. I’d like to point out that the reports from their Supervisor, Capt. Mike Gilbert, have been impressive, especially since we did not receive the scales to weigh trucks until Oct. 23, 2007.
With that in mind, let’s review what has transpired since the organization of this unit. Both deputies utilize F-150 extended cab Ford pick-up trucks to haul needed equipment, including scales, to weigh trucks in various areas of the county. We would like to give special thanks to Commissioners Court for granting us the positions to man this unit, and thus better serve and protect the citizens of Johnson County.
We are especially appreciative of Pct. 4 Commissioner Don Beeson, who has gone out of his way to put in two cement pads in his precinct, making it much for efficient and expeditious to enforce commercial vehicle codes in that area. Deputy Dill attended 9.5 hours of training in October and Deputy Novian attended 9 hours of training.
Of the citations written, a grand total of $15,647.00 has been collected. $20,995 in additional fines have been imposed on persons who are in the process of paying those fines through payment plans.
Dill and Novian wrote 199 violations last month, even though Novian had only a little over two weeks on the road and Dill had 23 days. Together, they made 5 arrests. Half of the cases are disposed of for the month and the single highest paid (single) fine so far has been for $577.
Both deputies have been diligent in working locations where Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has received specific complaints from the public regarding Commercial Vehicle violations. While there are specific load limits on our roadways, some trucking companies buy permits for their trucks that haul heavier equipment. What the public doesn’t realize is that sometimes trucking companies are willing to pay fines, regardless of the load their trucks carry, in order to get their loads transported. So there will always be law enforcement issues in order to reach our goals of reducing traffic collisions, fatalities and injuries on our roadways.
We want our citizens to know that their concerns are our concerns, and we will do our absolute best to protect and serve them. Our Commercial Vehicle Enforcement unit is just one way we are doing that. ______________________________________________
Sept. 10, 2007 TEXAS RANGER MARK REINHARDT
Texas Ranger Mark Reinhardt assists us with investigations when we call, or just jumps into action and backs us up with critical situations when he is close enough to help. We deeply appreciation him and the relationship we have had with the Rangers and the Department of Public Safety since I have been in office.
Sgt. Reinhardt is a member of Company “F”, which assists with major criminal investigations in 45 Central Texas counties. Their geographic area of responsibility extends from just below the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex to south of the state capitol in Austin, and from the piney woods of East Central Texas to the Hill Country.
Company “F” has 22 dedicated professional criminal investigators, and we consider Mark Reinhardt as “our Ranger” for the Johnson County area, although his area of responsibility is considerably larger. Ranger Reinhardt takes great pride in serving the people of this county as well as the State of Texas. But he knows this area especially well, as he was on the road as a Trooper with the Department of Public Safety for 20years, working out of the Cleburne office and spent about 8 months in the Driver’s License Bureau. Sgt. Reinhardt has been a Ranger for 5 years. Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has always been well served by the Texas Rangers, who have a 179-year heritage of service. The Rangers have been protecting the people of Texas since 1823, when colonizer Stephen F. Austin called for men to “Range” the frontier.
But we are especially grateful for, and honor one Ranger today. Sgt. Mark Reinhardt, who has picked up the reins on numerous occasions and has given us the investigative boost needed under certain circumstances. I call for Mark if there is any kind of questionable situation that arises involving the integrity of our officers on the street or jail staff. This way, we have an excellent investigator who is not part of our agency, who will do a thorough and honest job of getting to the bottom of the situation in question. Our hats are off to Sgt Reinhardt and all his years of distinguished service.
The modern Texas Rangers are an investigative division of the Department of Public Safety. The 116 Rangers authorized by the Texas Legislature are posted across Texas in six companies headquartered in Waco, Houston, Midland, Garland (the Dallas/Ft.Worth metroplex), Lubbock, and San Antonio.
As Sr. Captain Ray Coffman says, “These highly motivated men and women, selected from many outstanding candidates, take pride in the colorful traditions they have inherited and the modern challenges they face. As living symbols of a unique heritage, they wear the boots, white hats, and pistol belts of their predecessors. As elite law enforcement officers of the 21st century, they have added college degrees, networked computers, cell phones and state-of-the-art forensic analyses. The Texas Rangers are a heritage to be valued and a symbol of service for future generations.” ____________________________________________
Cleburne Eagle Article Bob Alford Sept. 25, 2007 Cold Case Squad
We introduced our latest weapon in the war on crime Feb. 27, 2004, with the formation of a Cold Case Squad. At that time, eleven Texas Peace Officers volunteered to help the Sheriff’s Office and local agencies with cold cases.
At that time, Cold Case Squad members, all Johnson County residents, had approximately 363 years of law enforcement experience under their belts. While some of the squad members have rotated off and others have taken their places, we still have about as many years of service experience in place.
Here’s the idea behind putting these men to work. I knew each team member before their selection and that each one has particular expertise or experience to bring to the table. This team is worth its weight in gold. When we need them and their expertise and connections in other law enforcement areas, they are a real force to contend with and we appreciate all their efforts and support. It’s like having another squad of top officers to put into action when delving into cold cases, while our employed officers are working hundreds of other cases.
Our Cold Case Squad members have been gracious enough to volunteer their time and service for the same reasons that brought them into police work in the first place. There’s the satisfaction of developing an old lead that may have gone nowhere years ago, but because of today’s technology has opened new doors. There’s the old pull to see justice done and the total satisfaction of knowing a bad guy is going to jail. And to my way of thinking, no matter how much technology is at our finger tips, it’s still good old fashioned hard core investigative tactics and taking action on leads that makes all the difference.
While our Cold Case Squad doesn’t actually go out and make arrests, they lend our investigators their expertise and talent and sometimes coach them into new directions because of something new that may have not been clear before. There’s no need for all of this talent and experience to go to waste, so we are very appreciative to be able to tap into their time and energy. Today’s Cold Case Squad members include: Mike Russell, Ret. ATF agent; Bobby McWhorter, Asst. Commander; Ret. Texas DPS Intelligence; Billy Peterson, Ret. Texas Ranger, Capt. Glen Collins, Ret. Game Warden; Bill Hardin, Ret. Tarrant County S.O. and Fort Worth PD; Bob Evans, formerly Fort Worth and Arlington PD; and James Ferguson, UT Arlington. __________________________________________________
Cleburne Eagle Article Oct. 16, 2007
Captain Troy Fuller is the kind of employee every supervisor dreams of having. His character is above reproach. He is totally trustworthy, dependable, loyal, hard working and very dedicated. There are always rough spots that challenge officers of Troy’s caliber, as he is responsible for 45 personnel under his leadership. But regardless of the situation, he keeps his head up, puts his shoulder to the load and moves forward.
Troy began his law enforcement career in Florida in 1983. He moved back home to Texas and began his career with Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in 1994. Troy started as a Correctional Officer and was promoted to Patrol Deputy in February of 1995. He worked up the ranks and served as Patrol Sergeant and Criminal Investigator before being promoted to lead Detective over the Criminal Investigations Division, where he has served for several years, and currently as Captain or Commander.
While serving with Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Capt. Fuller has been a member of the Mounted Patrol, K-9 Unit, Instructor, and currently serves as Region VI Director for Homicide Investigators of Texas. He has 2,000 hours of specialized training in Criminal Investigations, primarily in crimes against persons. Among his many responsibilities, Capt. Fuller is administrator over Training, School Resource Officers, Courthouse Security, Bailiffs, and Reserve Officers. He has written several grants for the sheriff’s office, and the awards are at about the $500,000 mark. Here’s what Troy had to say about his duties recently: “The SRO program is one of the best things going within the schools today, and I am very proud of our program and the benefit it has been to students, law enforcement, teachers, and administration. I am very blessed to have Criminal Investigators that work with me as the work load has grown at a rate that makes the case loads they face endless. The great thing is that the group of investigators I have now are selfless and they give their all to solve cases.”
When asked who has most influenced his life, both personally and professionally, he answered: “The absolute most influential persons in my life were my father and mother. I saw cancer take over my mom’s body, and not once did she fail to show her love and strength. My father should have never made it off the beach in Normandy, but he did, without limbs and riddled with shrapnel. Not once did he complain, and not once did he say he couldn’t. His lesson was to face what is in front of you, and find something positive in everything you do. I have also learned a lot form Sheriff Alford and his methodical work ethic, and I appreciate his sense of honor and duty.”
Captain Fuller was blessed this past year by being chosen as Administrative Supervisor of the Year by his peers. This is a great honor, and is not taken lightly. Our supervisors go above and beyond the call of duty in so many ways, but someone has to be singled out for award ceremony purposes. For our peers to recognize this hard work and dedication, it is much appreciated and well deserved. As Troy’s supervisor for many years, I have appreciated the time and effort he has put into providing for and strengthening his family, being there as often as possible for his wife, three children, and grandchild. He is a true leader in all aspects of his life.
Dedicated employees like Troy Fuller make my job easier. I want the citizens of Johnson County to realize and understand what price Troy and so many others pay each day. With such commitment to duty, people can sleep better at night, knowing we do our best on each watch to keep their families safe and secure. It’s an honor to serve with men and women of this stature.
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