What began as a three-deputy narcotics unit more than a decade ago has grown into an eight-member team tasked with targeting illegal drugs, locating wanted people and identifying other criminal activity throughout Liberty County.
When Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader took office in 2012, the sheriff’s office narcotics unit consisted of three deputies, with much of its work centered on undercover drug investigations.
Rader said he wanted to maintain undercover investigations while putting more emphasis on proactive, uniformed enforcement — placing deputies on the county’s highways, roadways and in communities to look for criminal activity rather than waiting for information to reach investigators.
“When I took office, I believed we needed deputies out in the county looking for criminal activity instead of waiting for it to come to us,” Rader said. “The unit has grown because the need has grown, but the mission remains the same — protect the people of Liberty County.”
Today, the Interdiction/Narcotics Unit consists of six deputies, one corporal and one sergeant. The unit operates within the sheriff’s office Criminal Investigations Division and works throughout Liberty County, including incorporated cities and unincorporated areas.
August activity
The sheriff’s office recently released statistics showing the unit conducted 260 traffic stops during August, resulting in 33 arrests.
Among those arrests, 20 involved outstanding warrants. Deputies also filed 23 new criminal charges during the month.
Of those new charges, 12 were for possession of a controlled substance and five were for manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance.
The sheriff’s office noted that the categories overlap. For example, someone arrested on an outstanding warrant may also face a new criminal charge, meaning the individual figures should not be added together to calculate the total number of arrests.
In addition to traffic enforcement and drug interdiction, unit members follow leads, develop information and assist other sheriff’s office investigators with criminal cases. They also work with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies when investigations extend beyond Liberty County.
Those partnerships include Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies across Texas.
Small cases can lead to larger investigations
According to the sheriff’s office, an arrest involving a relatively small quantity of illegal drugs can sometimes provide investigators with information that leads to a larger case.
Evidence or information obtained during a possession investigation, for example, could help deputies identify the person suspected of selling the drugs. Further investigation could then lead to a dealer, a larger supplier or an organization operating outside Liberty County.
In some cases, those investigations eventually involve state or federal law enforcement agencies.
“Someone may see an arrest involving a small amount of narcotics and believe it does not matter, but we may see the beginning of a much larger investigation,” Capt. John Bennett said. “That arrest can lead us to the dealer, then to the dealer’s supplier, and sometimes to a case involving federal agencies.”
Bennett said drug investigations also sometimes uncover other criminal activity.
“It can also stop thefts, burglaries, assaults, and other crimes tied to illegal drug activity,” he said. “The public may only see the amount listed in the original charge, but that small arrest can be the first step toward taking down a much larger drug operation.”
The sheriff’s office noted that illegal drug activity can sometimes be associated with crimes such as theft, burglary, illegal firearm possession, outstanding warrants, assaults and other violent offenses. However, the agency emphasized that an arrest for illegal drugs does not mean the person arrested has committed other crimes.
Residents asked to report suspected drug activity
The Interdiction/Narcotics Unit’s eight members are responsible for working throughout Liberty County, which encompasses approximately 1,176 square miles.
The sheriff’s office is asking residents to report suspected illegal drug activity to help investigators identify areas where enforcement may be needed.
Tips can include locations, times when suspected activity occurs, vehicle descriptions and other information that could assist investigators. Residents should not confront anyone or put themselves in danger while gathering information.
Suspected drug activity can be reported to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 936-336-4500. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office mobile app, available through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Anyone facing an immediate threat or emergency should call 911.