“To Protect, Respect, and Serve.”
This is Walter Bryant’s take on the traditional law enforcement motto of “protect and serve.” Bryant, who is a former employee of the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Department, has announced his candidacy for Tom Green County Sheriff. He is running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Sheriff David Jones. Bryant is also the first African American to run for this spot, and would be the first to fill it if he wins. For him, however, his candidacy goes beyond race.
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“I am running for Sheriff because I used to work for the Sheriff for 20 years and we had some differences. He terminated me, saying I violated a policy, but I feel my career is not over with yet,” he stated.
Tom Green County Sheriff David Jones confirmed this and said, "He was terminated for a cause and he's not eligible for rehire." Jones could not speculate about this, however, because of privacy issues.
Even though Jones said Bryant is not eligible for rehire, he is eligible to run for Sheriff.
Additionally, the termination has not ruined his outlook on the department and law enforcement in San Angelo. “My impression of the Sheriff’s Department when I was there was it is a good department to be involved in, but we always need improvement. I believe I can give that department what it needs as far as training, as far as attitude with the community, and as far as getting more involved with the community, especially with the kids,” Bryant stated.
He also stated that he's a really respectful guy.
"I really love what I do for this community. I loved working for the Sheriff’s Department; I loved being in law enforcement,” he added.
If elected, one of Bryant’s goals is to change the way people view peace officers. He noted, “I see on the media how the police departments in other areas seem to get out of hand. I want to be the Sheriff here to make sure that does not happen in our town. I know that all policemen are not bad because a few officers out there are doing the wrong things. I want the community to believe that our Sheriff’s Department here and our law enforcement here is not what they see on the media. I want to be there to show them and to educate my department on how to be a better and more respectful department.”
Bryant noted that being a San Angelo native strengthens his credentials to be the next Tom Green County Sheriff and to help the community.
“I’m a son of San Angelo," he continued. "I was born and raised here. I spent my career working for San Angelo. I have my own business here. I deal with a lot of kids and adults and I involve the community a lot."
In addition to being a current employee of Southern Industrial Engines, Bryant has been a karate instructor in San Angelo for over 35 years.
“I want to do my work for San Angelo. I don’t want to take it anywhere else; I just want to be here,” he added. “I just love being here. This is my home, this is my town. This is where I am going to live and where I’m going to die.”
Bryant ran against Jones in 2012. Jones soundly defeated him 24,760 to 9,387 votes, or 69.65 percent to 26.35 percent.
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Comments
Walter Bryant has my vote.This man put in 20 yrs. with the Tom Green Sheriff's Dept. not with the DPS.He and several other good officers were terminated in my opinion because they ran against the current Sheriff.If this is violating policy,we need a BIG change Tom Green County voters!!!
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PermalinkYou are right. I have seen my share of that in my tenure there too. Luckily most of us went on to better Employers / Departments in spite of the Sheriff Department trying to black ball us. which that in itself is a Labor Law Violation.
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PermalinkI know first hand how corrupt this sheriffs department is and how they are influenced by blowhearts ..... Sheriff Jones is at the top of the list along with several officers ( if they dont have the evidence they will make it up to suit them )......TIme for a Change ..... time to get some of the (chubbier) officers out or back into shape
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PermalinkI know what you mean Ada Bennett. It was done to a very good friend of mine as well. The only thing that stopped them was getting a Lawyer involved and threatening to sue the Department. Very Corrupt. Officers are poorly trained and I qualified with several that cannot hit the side of a barn but pass the firearm qualification anyway. Made me feel real safe out there. NOT. They abuse their authority consistently.
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PermalinkI certainly don't want to sound like I'm down on the media for not fact checking articles but the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) shows Walter Bryant was a certified peace officer for 14 years and 11 months, not the 20 years behind the badge as he stated in a previous article, a 25% error. He has held two jailers licenses, which are not Law Enforcement Certifications for a Peace Officer, and he is not current as a peace officer. He was not fired from the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office for a policy disagreement, but for a policy violation. A very bad one that has been in place for a long time and governors the conduct unbecoming a peace officer. Those are the facts! And if you really look into, the Sheriff did not fire Mr. Bryant, it was someone else in the department.
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PermalinkHowever, he is STILL eligible to run for Sheriff. That is the point of the article.
Nowhere does the article state that he is a current officer. It CLEARLY states who is current employer is and what else he is doing for a living.
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PermalinkDon't waste your time Brittany. The person is obviously an idiot incapable of comprehending what they read.
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Permalink14 or 20 yrs. is irrelevant the sheriff has the final say on who stays or go's. Time for a change
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PermalinkPolicy violation.. GIVE ME A BREAK. The Sheriff’s Office follows rules when and if they feel like it. All Officers are not treated the same. At Election time it is a cesspool around there. It always has been. I used to work there and I have firsthand knowledge. I thank GOD every day I left there for another job. I have watched people be unjustly fired, put on a different shift, busted up to jail duty all because it was rumored that they supported a candidate other than the incumbent Sheriff. I have seen people scared for their jobs every four years and literally living their lives on a “four year” plan because you just don’t know in four years if you will have a job or not. If the incoming Sheriff even suspects you supported his opponent kiss your rear end goodbye. I worked with Walter Bryant. He is a hard working decent man. He gave his life to that Department. 20 years is 20 years who cares where it was served? It does not matter if he worked in the Jail or out on Patrol. Both positions are Officers. Both jobs are very difficult and deserve the same respect. That’s another problem with that Department. Patrol Officers look down on Jail Officers. Investigators look down on Patrol Officers. Administration looks down on everybody. The whole place needs to be thrown in the dumpster and rebuilt. The Public has no respect for the Department for good reason. They can’t even respect and honor each other. It is no wonder the Public thinks they are a complete joke! If I were you Walter, I would not want to go back into that vile pit! But if you insist on it you DEFINATLEY have my vote!
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PermalinkCould not have been said any better.
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PermalinkHe will not win in San Angelo, because it is much too Conservative. Too bad he did not run on the Republican ticket. He might have had a chance.
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Permalinkwell just don't quit your Southern Engine job pal because you'll need the income when this race is over and you get a second dose of the healthy whipping that you got the first time but didn't learn from......
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PermalinkDoctor dumb a??
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