Llano Police Department

Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

In the wake of a recent family violence allegations, a former Llano County deputy now faces a charge of possessing child pornography.

Steven Andrew Sifford was taken into custody Sept. 1 at an east Texas bar known as Alibis in Groveton and booked into the Trinity County Jail.

A day later authorities transferred him twice – first to the Llano County Jail and then to Kerr County Jail – due to his former status with the LCSO facility where he had worked five years.

UPDATE: A Llano County Grand Jury has indicted Burke on three counts of official oppression, according to Llano County Jail documents. On Aug. 14, he turned himself into the jail, along with Llano County Deputy Duncan Roberts, who faces the same indictment in connection with a domestic disturbance call in the Rio Llano subdivision. Burke has resigned his position with Llano PD, and Roberts was reassigned at the sheriff's office. •

By Connie Swinney
The Highlander  •

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

The attorney for Llano Police Chief Kevin Ratliff said Thursday his client has done nothing wrong and is looking forward to his case being “set for trial as soon as the law allows us.”

“Unless there is some evidence out there that I don't know of which convinces me otherwise, I believe my client has done nothing wrong,” said defense attorney Austin Shell. “I believe his presence prevented a situation from getting out of hand and he handled the situation calmly and coolly and his actions prevented a man from being tased.”

By Phil Reynolds

The Highlander

Llano city officials don’t plan to hire any police officers to replace four who are on paid administrative leave, according to City Manager Scott Edmonson.

City council members went behind closed doors during the Monday, Jan. 22, council meeting to talk the matter over with city attorneys, but took no action following the executive session, Edmonson said.

“We have the city covered with the four remaining officers and the Llano County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO),” Edmonson said.

He explained the sheriff’s office and the city have a memorandum of understanding that calls for sheriff’s deputies to back up city police officers when necessary.

By Phil Reynolds

The Highlander

Llano city council members will go behind closed doors today, Tuesday, Jan. 16, to talk with their attorney about a police force that’s been reduced by half.

Three members of the eight-person force – Chief Kevin Ratliff, Sgt. Jared Latta and Patrol Officer Aimee Shannon — are on administrative leave with pay after a complaint charging official misconduct was lodged with the Llano County District Attorney’s office, District Attorney Sonny McAfee said.

LPD officer indicted

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Llano Police Department (LPD) Ofcr. Grant Harden has been indicted by a Llano County Grand Jury on six various counts related to video evidence of a June traffic stop.

Harden had been banned from the dispatch and administrative areas of the Llano County Law Enforcement Center since around that time and was further blocked from entering the jail recently. Sheriff Bill Blackburn said that was because of “not being professional while in the jail area.”

The indictments, recorded Tuesday, Dec. 5 include two third-degree felony charges of tampering or fabricating physical evidence; one count of a state jail felony of tampering with a governmental record and three counts of a Class A felony, official oppression.