News

Texas Municipal Police Association Stands with
Williamson County Whistleblower Deputy Brian Johns

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Municipal Police Association stands in strong support of Deputy Brian Johns as he battles to restore his job, his lost wages, and his good name after being terminated for blowing the whistle on criminal activities and malfeasance of Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and his allies within the sheriff's office.

Deputy Johns was wrongly terminated July 3, 2019 after a good faith effort to report criminal activities to the proper authorities. In a recent court filing against Williamson County under the Texas Whistleblower Act, Deputy Johns makes the following statements of fact about the conduct of Sheriff Chody and others which he reported:

MISUSE OF COUNTY RESOURCES AND THEFT

  • Deputy Johns observed the County Fleet Manager performing work on Sheriff Chody's personal Polaris UTV, a recreational off-road vehicle, and learned that a county-purchased battery and kill switch were being installed. This work was being done by County personnel on county time. This constitutes theft and was confirmed by the Williamson County Attorney's Office; however, they refused to pursue charges because Sheriff Chody used the recreational vehicle for "Sheriff's office functions".

    POLITICAL INTIMIDATION

  • Deputy Johns served as President of the Williamson County Deputies Association, which Sheriff Chody disliked because the association, in his mind, was not supportive enough of him politically. Chody went so far as to invite a competing association to make a membership sales pitch and made it mandatory for all deputies to attend. Furthermore, Chody openly advertised and endorsed a competing legal protection plan offered by Jason Nassour, a Williamson County Assistant County Attorney who also acts as Chody's attorney on personnel matters.

    On July 2, 2019, after returning to work from a planned vacation, Deputy Johns was terminated for "insubordination and dereliction of duty". This was in violation of state law which requires written charges for termination. When this became apparent, Deputy Johns was asked to report the next day, July 3, which he did. There he was terminated again.

    For too long, Sheriff Chody has been more concerned with increasing his profile and public image with pet projects like Live PD than serving the people of Williamson County. His complete megalomania is putting the public at risk, disrupting his sheriff's office, and diminishing the morale of its deputies. 

    TMPA demands the swift reinstatement of whistle blower Deputy Brian Johns and full restoration of any lost wages and benefits.