FORNEY, Texas – Two non-paid reserve deputy constables have been added to Kaufman County's Precinct 2 Constable's office, according to Pct. 2 Constable Jason Johnson – pending bond approval by the Kaufman County Commissioners' Court on Monday, June 23, 2014.
{loadposition adinsert}
Currently the constable's office consists of Johnson and a full-time paid deputy in a precinct that once had four full-time officers – a constable and three deputies. The addition comes nearly a month-and-a-half since Johnson was appointed to the office in April.
Johnson has also made a request for an additional full-time, paid deputy constable position in his office which will be discussed and considered by the Kaufman County Commissioners' Court during budget discussions in August or September.
The reserve deputies are licensed peace officers with the State of Texas, according to Johnson, and have the same enforcement powers as a full-time deputy. "The only difference is they are not paid and aren't required to put in 40 hours a week," said Johnson. "They are bonded, licensed, and have to keep up the same Texas Commission on Law Enforcement hours as any officer in the State of Texas."
Johnson and his deputies serve as bailiffs for the Precinct 2 justice of the peace court – serving process, warrants, subpoenas, and executing judgements, among other things for the court.
The constable's office isn't limited to court duty, though, and Johnson has committed to providing additional patrol to Travis Ranch and Windmill Farms – two master planned communities in northern Kaufman County just outside the city limits of Forney and therefore rely on scarce patrolling by an already stretched-thin Kaufman County Sheriff's Office.
Residents of Windmill Farms took it upon themselves last year to contract with the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office to provide a deputy for at least 40 hours a week through an inter-local agreement with their Fresh Water Supply Districts 1-B and 1-C.
Johnson has since implemented two new programs: The Constable on Patrol (COP) program and the Special Enforcement Request (S.E.R.) program. It's because of these two programs Johnson added the two new reserve officers.
“The COP program has been a huge success,” Johnson told inForney.com. The COP program is aimed at more targeted patrolling in problem areas as well as patrolling based on information received from the S.E.R. Program.
According to Johnson, citations have been issued based on S.E.R. requests including speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign in Windmill Farms and minor in possession of alcohol and contributing to a minor in possession of alcohol near Lake Ray Hubbard in Travis Ranch.
Although Johnson says both reserve officers have worked with him before in Dallas County, they will both be required to take special training for Precinct 2. The constable's office already has an extra patrol unit the reserve officers could utilize.
To contact Constable Johnson or to make a S.E.R. Program request, call (972) 564-4054.
Persons with information concerning a crime are encouraged to provide information by calling Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at (877) 847-7522 or click on “Crime of the Week at the Kaufman County Crime Stoppers website at www.kaufmancountycrimestoppers.org.
Crime Stoppers tips are always confidential and can result in awards of up to $1000 if they lead to an arrest.
Johnson has also made a request for an additional full-time, paid deputy constable position in his office which will be discussed and considered by the Kaufman County Commissioners' Court during budget discussions in August or September.
The reserve deputies are licensed peace officers with the State of Texas, according to Johnson, and have the same enforcement powers as a full-time deputy. "The only difference is they are not paid and aren't required to put in 40 hours a week," said Johnson. "They are bonded, licensed, and have to keep up the same Texas Commission on Law Enforcement hours as any officer in the State of Texas."
Johnson and his deputies serve as bailiffs for the Precinct 2 justice of the peace court – serving process, warrants, subpoenas, and executing judgements, among other things for the court.
The constable's office isn't limited to court duty, though, and Johnson has committed to providing additional patrol to Travis Ranch and Windmill Farms – two master planned communities in northern Kaufman County just outside the city limits of Forney and therefore rely on scarce patrolling by an already stretched-thin Kaufman County Sheriff's Office.
Residents of Windmill Farms took it upon themselves last year to contract with the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office to provide a deputy for at least 40 hours a week through an inter-local agreement with their Fresh Water Supply Districts 1-B and 1-C.
Johnson has since implemented two new programs: The Constable on Patrol (COP) program and the Special Enforcement Request (S.E.R.) program. It's because of these two programs Johnson added the two new reserve officers.
“The COP program has been a huge success,” Johnson told inForney.com. The COP program is aimed at more targeted patrolling in problem areas as well as patrolling based on information received from the S.E.R. Program.
According to Johnson, citations have been issued based on S.E.R. requests including speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign in Windmill Farms and minor in possession of alcohol and contributing to a minor in possession of alcohol near Lake Ray Hubbard in Travis Ranch.
Although Johnson says both reserve officers have worked with him before in Dallas County, they will both be required to take special training for Precinct 2. The constable's office already has an extra patrol unit the reserve officers could utilize.
To contact Constable Johnson or to make a S.E.R. Program request, call (972) 564-4054.
Persons with information concerning a crime are encouraged to provide information by calling Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at (877) 847-7522 or click on “Crime of the Week at the Kaufman County Crime Stoppers website at www.kaufmancountycrimestoppers.org.
Crime Stoppers tips are always confidential and can result in awards of up to $1000 if they lead to an arrest.