In the past three years, Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody has hired at least a dozen officers with checkered pasts to his force of 550.
When Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody needed a star to represent his department on the reality show “Live PD,” he found one in a tough-talking deputy he hired months before.
The department’s star is also a disgraced former city of Austin police officer whom Chody hired days after the city had been set to fire him for using his special airport access to bypass security, then repeatedly lying about it. “If you are looking for guys who are chasing Hollywood lights with blue lights, you’re going to get exactly what we got – and that is a disaster,’” said Mike Klier, former president of the Williamson County Deputies Association, whom Chody fired in June.
Experts say hiring deputies with flawed histories damages a department’s community image, destroys its morale and unnecessarily burdens taxpayers who may have to pay for officers’ misdeeds. Police Chief Brian Manley issued a scathing disciplinary report: “His dishonest statements during the criminal investigation will compromise his credibility as a witness if he continues to serve as a police officer.”
In May 2019, Luera and fellow deputies had a chance to arrest a suspect without fanfare when he appeared for a court hearing on another matter. Knowing cameras would be following Luera later that day, sheriff’s office staff hid the arrest warrant, according to District Attorney Shawn Dick, so Asher Watsky would not be arrested in court. Then Luera led a dramatic raid on his home that was televised live.
Four months later, Chody did not discipline Deaton after disturbing and graphic Facebook posts were made public in which Deaton used toy figures to depict graphic scenes of date rape and other violent acts. Chody said Deaton, who declined to comment, had a First Amendment right to free speech. Deaton resigned the next month.“Live PD” production was in full swing when Chody hired two deputies with disciplinary pasts.
After joining Chody’s department, Johnson became a rising star. As part of “Live PD” promotional efforts, he was interviewed by podcasters about his life in law enforcement and was a frequent face on Chody’s social media. In a five-month period in late 2018, he was admonished three times at the Bastrop County sheriff’s office and ordered to classes on search-and-seizure laws.
When Chody took office, Dutton said, they stopped performing exhaustive background checks on prospective employees. “Glad we could make some good TV for the boss man,” Deputy Jarred Dalton Tweeted in May 2019, soon before a “Live PD” taping. In another post, he wrote, “Gonna try to get some good stuff stirred up for y'all tonight.”But the sheriff doubled-down.
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