Multiple Llano PD paid suspensions leave force short-handed

With four officers currently on paid suspension, the remaining members of the Llano Police Department are working 12 hour shifts to keep patrols on the road.

"I feel very confident that they can handle anything that does come up”, said Llano Mayor Gail Lang.

Wednesday afternoon Mayor Lang told FOX 7 county deputies and officers with Sunrise Beach are providing back up through a mutual aid agreement. But Mayor Lang admits being short-handed, and still paying those on suspension, are causing a financial burden on the city.

"Right now, we're trying to allow the DA's office time to finish their investigation and then at that point we can move forward with how were are going to handle our police department,” said Mayor Lang.

Problems at the Llano Police Department came to a head in late 2017. Officer Grant Harden was indicted by a grand jury. He was charged with official oppression and tampering with his body camera video stemming from a DWI arrest in June.

Then there was the suspension of the chief and two other officers. That move involved a complaint made after a public intoxication arrest in May. The case remains under investigation.

Other accusations of misconduct were also raised by a former police officer who after leaving the department sent a long list of concerns to county officials.

"I personally don’t know which way to think right now until I see a completed investigation, because right now this town is being fed rumors and innuendo, and he said, I said, you did,” said Mayor Lang.

District Attorney Sonny McAfee told FOX 7 he doesn't know how long his investigation will take. FOX 7 also spoke to attorney Travis Williamson who is working with some of the officers. Williamson said he is worried about how this review even got underway.

"I don’t know what the motivation is, but that is something I’m going to be focusing in on, most definitely and of course a major concern. Anytime you see cases being criminally investigated that are not normally the type that are looked at criminally you have to wonder and have to look at what's the reason, why here, why now,” said Williamson.

Answers to that may soon start to come out in court. The arraignment hearing for Officer Grant Harden is scheduled for January 25th.  A major point of contention in the case against Officer Harden is what caused his body camera to stop recording. Did he intentionally turn it off or did it malfunction? Attorney Williamson said he is looking into claims that the body cameras used by Llano police have had technical problems in the recent past.