My name is Bruce Boardman, I am a 26 year resident of Hays County. I am a former Austin Police Officer retired June of 2003 after 29 years service. At the Austin Police Department I was assigned as a supervisor in Internal Affairs from 1999 to 2001. I have known and worked with every past Hays County Sheriff from Alfred Hohman, Paul Hastings, Don Montague to Allen Bridges.
I recently read a couple of articles in various local newspapers about our sheriff hiring a new lieutenant in CID, which includes the “Evidence Room” knowing that this man had been criminally charged with tampering with evidence in another county previously. Tampering with physical evidence is a felony offense. When District Atty Sheri Tibbe called our current sheriff out on it, the sheriff relented and fired the man (Ficke) Now Ficke is suing Hays County and will probably win. As a Hays County tax payer, how can I possibly have confidence in a sheriff who would hire a person charged with a felony, to watch over evidence kept to be later used at a trial? It is obvious that defense attorneys would have a field day with this and possibly lead to further civil suits against the county. The sheriff did not act responsibly nor show any leadership in this decision.
Bruce Boardman
Driftwood
