Llano Police Chief and three officers indicted in unlawful arrest

The Llano Police Department will continue operating short-staffed after the Llano Police Chief and three other officers were indicted Monday. All were charged with Official Oppression a class A misdemeanor for what court documents state was an unlawful arrest back in May of 2017.

Llano Police Chief Kevin Ratcliff and Officer Grant Harden turned themselves in and were released on bond. Officer Harden also carries a Tamper with Government Document charge. The indictment states he falsified a report stating the subject, “was forced out of his residence and arrested.”

Officer Aimee Shannon’s indictment states she allegedly, “threatened to shoot him with a taser.”

Attorney Travis Williamson represents Harden and said he was surprised the officers were indicted.

"They have to prove that the police officers intentionally and knowingly violated somebody's rights so there's a mistakable law some confusion about how an arrest can be made," Williamson said.

Chief Ratcliff and Sgt. Jared Latta’s indictments don’t detail their exact involvement in the incident. Attorney Austin Shell is confident when the case is set to trial Chief Ratcliff will be found not guilty.

"So based on with the Chief knew at the time he had acted very reasonably and given my view of the evidence of the video that they have I agree hundred percent I do not understand why the chief was indicted I don't think you should've been working to send this trial as soon as the let us."

Shell said the department was already under the microscope after a previous investigation was launched. All four officers have been released on bond and are scheduled to be back in the courtroom in March.

Mayor Gail Long said county deputies and officers with Sunrise Beach are providing back-up through a mutual aid agreement while the department is short staffed.