On March 6, as our community prepared for a global pandemic, Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody went behind the backs of the district attorney and Commissioners Court to sign a deal with Big Fish Entertainment, the producers of “Live PD.”
With most quarantining at home, a lot of TV is being watched, and I love TV like the next guy. Many might ask, “What’s the problem with the sheriff signing an agreement to be on ‘Live PD’?”
It’s well established in law that the Commissioners Court is the general business and contracting agency for the county. The sheriff knew this, but signed the contract anyway, because he really likes to be on TV. The result is the sheriff’s contract with Big Fish isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
Every time a “Live PD” cameraman climbs into Lt. Grayson Kennedy’s cruiser, the sheriff is exposing county taxpayers — that’s you and me — to millions of dollars of liability.
The sheriff knows this and doesn’t appear to care.
Who does care is the county’s insurance company. In fact, Travelers Insurance notified me on Monday that because the sheriff has gone back on “Live PD,” they must “significantly” increase the county’s law enforcement premium.
Insurance, contracts and business matters aren’t in the sheriff’s job description, and it shows.
Adding insult to taxpayers is that 100% of Lt. Kennedy’s arrests you see on the show can’t be prosecuted by the district attorney. Why? Because the sheriff refuses to collect “Live PD” evidence: simple stuff like the unaired video or the name of the cameraman. I think it’s because it’s bad for the show’s business. “Live PD” is less worried about keeping our community safe and more about making sure their “secret sauce” doesn’t get out.
To put it into perspective, the sheriff aggressively sought to appear on “Live PD.” (Did I mention he likes to be on TV?) Most days of the week he willingly invites their cameramen into our county cruisers.
In fact, at times the sheriff has big send-off parties before the “Live PD” teams start their patrol. I’ve witnessed them firsthand, and it truly is a sight. I also find it difficult to believe he can’t get the “Live PD” evidence if he honestly wanted Lt. Kennedy’s arrests to stick, but he never has.
Section 37.09 of the Texas Penal Code makes it a felony to impair the availability of evidence. Criminal law isn’t my specialty, but I am curious how this applies when a sheriff’s deputy lets a cameraman exit his cruiser knowing large portions of the camera’s video will never be seen again.
If you tune in to “Live PD,” what you’re really is seeing Lt. Kennedy patrol and re-patrol the same five miles of U.S. 183A, the part of Austin within Williamson County, looking for something noticeable so the host, Dan Abrams, will cut to him.
It’s not real policework. It’s closer to play-acting.
If the goal of a “patrol” during “Live PD” filming is to benefit our citizens and keep us safe, it appears to be a complete farce. If the goal is to be on TV, then I’d say the sheriff has it just right.
Community leaders tell me that it looks like the sheriff works for “Live PD,” not the citizens of Williamson County. And it’s becoming harder to disagree.
“Live PD” has likely coached the sheriff to allege conspiracies and proclaim transparency. This, amongst other things, is where the sheriff and I differ. If transparency was honestly his goal, he’d let us know that for all of the showmanship, for his own reasons, he’s not going to collect the “Live PD” evidence.
At the end of the day, his inaction allows alleged felons to walk free.
Showbiz.
Russ Boles is commissioner of Williamson County Precinct 4, which includes Hutto, Taylor and the eastern portion of Round Rock.
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