Patrol / K-9

The Wharton County Constable’s Office in Precinct # 2 employs both Full-Time Paid and Non-Paid Deputies to handle law enforcement duties on a daily basis. Constable Szymanski and Deputy Mark Somer are the only two full-time employees and the rest of the office is comprised of non-paid deputy constables. One of the biggest concerns brought to my attention from constituents, was then and is today, the need for more law enforcement. Constituents stressed the need for more officer visibility on the street. I met that concern head on and implemented the current program that has grown to the largest of all Constable Programs in Wharton County. The Full-Time Non-Paid Deputies or what is commonly referred to, as “Reserve” Deputies, currently is comprised of five Deputy Constables that volunteer their time to work in law enforcement. Like most citizens, these deputies want safer streets, safer communities, and the opportunity to put criminals behind bars. The largest benefit to the citizens of Precinct # 2 is the monetary savings, all the while increasing law enforcement visibility and patrols throughout the precinct. A starting deputies salary in Wharton County is $2496 per month and outfitting that deputy with a vehicle, uniforms, equipment, and benefits is over $30,000 alone. My Full-Time Non-Paid Deputies drive patrol cars obtained prior to being auctioned off, which besides being in good condition, is a tremendous saving to the taxpayers. Their equipment, uniforms, and training are purchased from grants, donations and a small portion of the counties budget. Essentially, my office is currently providing the most effective law enforcement possible, for the least amount of money.

K-9
In September 2003, a Deputy Constable with Precinct #2 conducted a traffic stop which resulted in seizing over $46,000, a vehicle, cell phones and other equipment from a drug courier on U.S. 59. Constable Szymanski, along with his other deputies, wanted to use some of the money to further the fight against drugs. The decision came easy that the best way to hopefully place more drug dealers and users out of business was to purchase a K-9. Early in 2004, Constable Szymanski purchased a very enthusiastic 3 year old chocolate lab named Roshawn from K-9 trainer Jack Richards, owner of Specialized K-9's located in Katy, Texas. Roshawn is a certified drug detection dog and Constable Szymanski is a certified handler through the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association.

Roshawn has already began work with Constable Szymanski giving public demonstrations to youth groups on the dangers of drugs and how narcotic dogs are trained to locate drugs. The day after Roshawn was certified, he was called into service and assisted deputies in finding a small amount of marijuana inside of a vehicle. Our office is looking forward to working not only in Precinct #2, but throughout Wharton County assisting other agencies in detecting illegal narcotics and placing drug dealers behind bars.

QUALIFICATIONS
All deputies go through background checks, medical exams, psychological exams and the same training as someone seeking full time employment with any other law enforcement agency in Texas. These deputies come from various backgrounds and walks of life. My current deputies are employed as firefighter/paramedics, self-employed business owners, safety/quality assurance personnel working in the private sector, and local farming. These deputies work a minimum of 16 hours per month per department policy, but usually work much more then the minimum requirements.

PATROL

$46,260 and a Pistol Seized From a Drug Currier

The Constable and Environmental Deputy work a 40-hour per week schedule. Constable Szymanski routine duties include patrol, responding to calls, traffic enforcement, civil & warrant service, bailiff at the justice court, and routine administrative work. Deputy Mark Somer’s primary responsibility is environmental enforcement not just in Precinct # 2, but also throughout Wharton County. While Deputy Somer travels throughout Wharton County, he responds to in progress calls that he is near and assists other agencies. The way the Full-Time Non-Paid Deputy Program is designed, is the deputies work at various times of their choosing, unless there is a special function or an emergency situation occurs. Most citizens are accustomed to seeing these deputies work during the daytime and evening hours and many are unaware that they often work well into the night protecting their communities and conducting business checks while they are asleep. A routine patrol includes driving through cities and towns in Precinct # 2 looking for criminal activity and enforcement of the state’s traffic law ranging from speeding and running stop signs, to reckless driving and driving while intoxicated enforcement. It is not uncommon for a routine traffic stop for a minor traffic infraction to turn into a arrest for person’s driving while intoxicated, possession of illegal narcotics, or possession of illegal weapons to name a few. In 2003 Deputies seized over $46,000 in currency in one instance and seized a vehicle in a drug related arrest. Other important functions of the Deputies are to assist other agencies with their law enforcement duties. The Deputies answer 911 calls, provide back up to all area law enforcement agencies, assist in traffic direction at major accidents and assist when needed at community events. Several Deputies as well as Constable Szymanski are trained and certified as Paramedics and Intermediate Emergency Medical Technicians. The patrol cars are equipped with emergency medical equipment, heart monitors/defibrillators and medications, just to name a few, used in the prehospital setting when time is of the essence. It is a tremendous asset to have personnel on scenes, treating patients with advanced life support measures, sometimes well before the ambulance arrives.

Two other functions that are not regular seen by the public, but are very important is the service of civil process and outstanding warrants. Civil process is usually lawsuits or summons that have been filed in Justice, County or District Court that notifies a person that they have been sued and must appear in court at a specific date and time. The second function is the service of outstanding warrants. Wharton County has hundreds of outstanding warrants which result to thousands of dollars in money owed to the county for fines ranging from Class C traffic fines and hot checks to felony warrants. The Deputies routinely make attempts by telephone, by mail and in person to try serve and clear these warrants. In 2003, Deputies served 214 misdemeanors and felony warrants clearing $50,606 in warrants alone.