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MESSAGE FROM SHERIFF HERNANDEZ

On July 17th, I had the honor of attending a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Judge Guy Herman Center for Mental Health Crisis Care which will serve Travis County. This new facility is the result of collaboration by many in our community. Those in attendance spoke volumes to the many who are committed to mak-ing a difference when it comes to helping those with mental health issues. Judges, State Representatives, County Commissioners, the County Judge, City Coun-cil Members, community activists, St. David’s Foun-dation, Integral Care, Central Health and local law enforcement stood together in heart-felt celebration. This integral care facility will provide immediate, short-term care to those individuals in a mental health crisis. Services will include stabilization, assess-ment, nursing, therapy, case management and treat-ment. Several entities, including the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, may refer patients to the center. AAll too often, persons with mental illness end up in the Travis County Jail. It pains me to see people incarcer-ated for crimes they’ve committed due solely to mental illness. It’s not an easy problem to solve, but it’s imper-

ative that we find a better way to serve the mentally ill in our community than a jail cell. Compassionate team-work to build places like the Herman Center is a step in the right direction and in the months and years ahead, I look forward to sharing more success stories with you.

4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONSBLOOD DRIVE

For the 10th year running, we have participated in the We Are Blood’s annual Battle of the Badges competi-tion. Our employees pack onto the Blood Center of Cen-tral Texas bus to give the gift of life and to score points for our agency. It’s a serious gift, but we make it fun!

aaJuly 4th in Travis County is full of opportunities for family fun. We had the pleasure of participating in com-munity parades in the Wells Branch and Mueller com-munities. The kids loved the lights and sirens on our vehicles and we loved handing out Jr. Deputy stickers!

In 2013, the Sheriff’s Office saw the need for succession planning and leadership training for our new and aspiring super-visors which led to the creation of the Sheriff’s Institute for Ethical Leadership Development (SHIELD) Program. Borrowing upon the principles of the nationally recognized book The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes & Posner, 2008), SHIELD was designed to introduce the theory of Transformational Leadership and the application of the Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership. The course totals 13 days scheduled over a six month period of time. The program is coordinated and pre-sented by senior TCSO leaders and special guest speakers.

SHIELD PROGRAM

Keeping Kids Safe offers fingerprinting of children and helpful tips to parents locally and across the US. The goal is to equip parents to be as prepared as possible in the event of an emergency situation. This year, kids were able to enjoy face painting, sno-cones, crafts and a tour of our SWAT vehicle as part of the event.

KEEPING KIDS SAFE MEET OUR NEW K9 OFFICER

Earlier this year, we had to retire K9 Ricky due to health issues. Hearing of our unexpected loss, local businessman Josh Cahill stepped forward and pro-vided the funds necessary for us to purchase and train a new K9 officer. Meet Castor! Castor is currently in training and will be on duty soon. When ready, he will be assisting with fugitive apprehension and narcotics detection.

On July 1, our 8th Explorers Post 1099 class graduated! The Explorers program offers hands-on training to par-ticipants ages 14-20 who are interested in learning more about criminal justice and the role of our agency. We are so very proud of these amazing young men and women.

EXPLORER POST GRADUATION

THE SUNSHINE KIDS FOUNDATION TEEN LAKE ESCAPE

The Sunshine Kids Foundation hosted 20 teens at the 27th Annual Teen Lake Escape camp in Lago Vista. The Teen Lake Escape is a free, week-long camp for teens who are recommended by pediatric oncological departments throughout Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Teenagers with various stages of cancer have the opportunity to get out of the hospital environ-ment and enjoy boating, tubing and playing golf on Lake Travis. For the teens, the opportunity to connect in a fun setting with others who are going through the same challenges, is an experience they will never forget. As part of the week, the Sheriff’s Office hosts an annual first responder day. This year’s event included a $15,000 check presented to the Sunshine Kids Foundation by the Capital of Texas Police Motorcycle Chute Out, a hands-on law enforce-ment and fire vehicle expo, visit from a Starflight helicopter and K9 demonstrations.

LAKE PATROL UNIT The Sheriff’s Office Lake Patrol Unit is comprised of three, two person boat crews responsible for patrolling 64 miles of water and 270 miles of shoreline on Lake Travis. Their primary mission as certified Marine Safety Enforcement Officers is to enforce boater safety, how-ever they also respond to 9-1-1 calls for service, conduct search and rescue missions and respond to boat colli-sions and injuries either on the lake or at the water’s edge. The Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Team is an all-vol-unteer dive team that works with the Lake Patrol Unit and is trained in advanced open water diving.

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