By Anita Miller
Embattled Precinct 3 Constable Ray Helm announced his resignation last week, triggering a last-minute scramble in both the Republican and Democratic parties ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.
Helm, a Republican had served since 2016 and had been the subject of numerous investigations by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). He resigned July 22. According to Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson, the Commissioners Court can appoint a replacement to serve through the year. Helm's term expires Dec. 31.
Helm would have appeared on the ballot unopposed. Now, however, both parties have the opportunity to make a nomination between Aug. 3 and 21.
Helm had a history of run-ins with TCOLE, one of the most recent resulting in a June 23 letter of reprimand. Signed by Deputy Chief Michael Antu, the reprimand, regarding a reserve deputy who had been serving civil papers even though Helm had requested the deputy be exempt from doing so, thereby violating Title 37 of the Texas Administrative Code.
In January, Helm was accused of violating another potion of the administrative code relating to his responsibilities regarding to a training course for personnel wearing body cameras required of him and 11 deputies. “Investigators found through their investigation “that one deputy constable never took the body worn camera course, but was still reported by you as if he had taken the training,” the reprimand states, going on to say the probe also uncovered the fact that what was supposed to be a two-hour course was in actuality a 20-minute “overview of the camera and how to operate” it. TCOLE also charged that Helm had “failed to note the dates” students received the training and that the reserve deputies did not sign off as having received it, as they are required to do. The commission ruled the complaint “substantiated.”
Helm also came under fire following a candidates’ forum in Wimberley in February. Michele Hart told the Hays Free Press that a cameraman from an Austin TV station hit her over the head with a heavy video camera; however, that station’s video of the event shows Darrell Ayers, who was part of Helm’s staff, pushing the cameraman, which caused him to fall backward and his camera to hit Hart’s head.
In the wake of the public release of the station’s video, Hays County said the Texas Rangers would be called in to head an investigation. It was unclear, however, if that actually happened.
Helm also had to resubmit a routine racial profiling report he submitted to county commissioners earlier this year after it was found to have numbers essentially flipped.
In his original report, Helm said his office conducted 329 traffic stops in 2019 and all but one vehicle was subsequently searched; the corrected report said that of that number of stops, only one vehicle was later searched. He had also reported that 275 “HispanicLatino” drivers were stopped, along with eight “black” and 43 “white.” That was corrected to read that 275 “white” and 43”Hispanic/Latino.”
The original report had been approved by the commissioners without comment as part of the consent agenda. Helm was the last of the Hays County constables to submit the report, which is required by law of all Texas law enforcement agencies.
Helm also made the news this year regarding warrants he acquired against a former employee he accused of misuse of official information. The employee, Gary Griffin, turned himself in at the county jail in January and was released the same day.
Then in March, both Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau and Fred Weber, DA in Caldwell County, declined to prosecute Griffin “baes on the totality of the circumstances. Griffin had in turn accuse Helm of falsifying records.
Helm had also worked as head of security for Float Fest, a tubing and music festival held along the San Marcos River in Caldwell County that drew the ire of nearby residents for issues including clogged roadways, littering and loud music.
