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Crowley County Sheriff Declines Request to Send Deputies to Sugar City Council Meetings Amid Political Dispute
Description: (Former Sugar City Council Meeting - SECO News File Photo) Crowley County Sheriff Terry Reeves says his office will not send deputies to Sugar City council meetings despite ongoing political disputes. Reeves says the Sheriff’s Office will remain neutral and only intervene if violence occurs. Read the Full Letter from the Crowley County Sheriff...
Sheriff Reeves: Law Enforcement Will Not Intervene in Sugar City Political Disputes Unless Necessary
March 16, 2026
Over the past few years, I have had three of the four municipalities in Crowley County try to involve the Sheriff’s Office in their political battles, by requesting my staff attend their respective City Council meetings. Each time there has been an attempt to get my office to take sides, and each time we were not in attendance I have received reports of the threat of violence. All those reports once investigated were found to be lacking in probable cause to prosecute.
Now the town of Sugar City is again embroiled in controversy and battle lines are being formed within their City Council, and again I am being asked to take sides.
Over the last few years, I have tried in vain to establish a working relationship with the town of Sugar City. I have reached out to the council and volunteered to attend their meetings to try and reestablish a working relationship with the town. I have been rebuffed. My office has had the displeasure of arresting some of the town officials and that has stopped all communication between Sugar City and my office.
As of late I have received no direct request to intervene in this battle from the town of Sugar City, but my office was requested to do so by the Crowley County Commissioners’ Office. I have given this issue serious thought and have decided to decline that request. I will try and explain my position. If I send Deputies to attend the meetings it would be with strict instructions to maintain the peace and not get otherwise involved. Anyone who has ever watched any heated confrontation between political rivals has heard the negative comments and threats that often go along with our political process. Until those threats cross over into a criminal act they should be left to work themselves out. My staff’s presence there will exacerbate the issue. Experience tells me that a Law Enforcement presence at those meetings will surely embolden rivals to clash even harder. We are prepared to act but will take a watch and see attitude. If we must take any action I will immediately be accused of taking sides. A wiser option is to let the meeting unfold and only act if absolutely necessary.
All municipalities are required by Statute to provide their own Law Enforcement. Currently none of them live up to that statute but rely on My Office to provide those services. I have and will continue to provide Law Enforcement to all citizens of Crowley County regardless of where they live, BUT I will not get involved in any political battles unless they turn violent, and even then, our involvement will be as minimally invasive as possible, and will be carried out based on the circumstances, never choosing sides.
So, I will not send deputies to attend the meetings, but I will be prepared to respond to any incidents that require a response. I hope and pray that the process can be carried out in a peaceful manner. Rest assured however, that no violence will be tolerated, and arrests will be made, if necessary, regardless of title or status with the town.
I am fully aware of what the battles are and why. I suggest that the People of Sugar City get involved and rectify their town’s government or vote to dissolve it. It is quite a mess.
Terry Reeves, Crowley County Sheriff
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