Liberty County constable deputies 'locked out' of New Colony Ridge annex amenities

Liberty County constable deputies limited to storage room at new facility

While the Liberty County Sheriff's Office Colony Ridge Annex building prominently features the Precinct 6 Constable’s name on the exterior, the constable himself says the reality inside is deceiving. FOX 26's Angie Rodriguez joined the constable for a look inside the only part of the building that his deputies currently have access to.

Cleveland, Texas - What was supposed to be a state-of-the-art solution for law enforcement in a rapidly growing area, reads more like a "keep out" sign for Liberty County Precinct 6 Constables' deputies.

"100 Square Feet for Five Deputies"

What they're saying:

While the Liberty County Sheriff's Office Colony Ridge Annex building prominently features the Precinct 6 Constable’s name on the exterior, Harkness says the reality inside is deceiving.  

His team is restricted to a single 100-square-foot storage room located in the public lobby, only accessible to the deputies with a security badge.

"We don't have showers available," Constable Harkness said. "We don't have free parking. They can't use the kitchen or any employee facility or amenity within the building other than the public restroom. So all we're looking to do is be able to get our employees behind the line so they can do that. "

With five deputies cycling through the office, the lack of space is more than a tight squeeze. For them, it’s a functional nightmare.

• No private restrooms: Deputies must share the public restrooms with the public.
• No secure evidence room: There is no designated, secure space to log or store evidence.
• Safety concerns: Without access to the secure gated lot, deputies are often forced to leave their personal vehicles outside at the front entrance of the building.
• Zero amenities: No access to the kitchen, break room, or showers available to other county employees in the same building.

So, who's in charge?

Dig deeper:

The situation hasn't improved despite the Annex being a recent project, with the contract for the building being posted in early 2025. 

Constable Harkness says he has spent the last six months to a year trying to resolve the issue.

"We have done walkthroughs with public officials during the layout process," Constable Harkness said. "We have talked to them in person. We have phone calls, text messages and emails. It did make the agenda a few months ago. It wasn't really brought up that well, so I've attempted to bring it up again. But all avenues of communication have been attempted."

The constable recently took to social media to show the public the conditions, hoping transparency might spark change. 

"The community is not aware, and they think either we have the whole building or they think we have a shared space, which we have a shared space. It's a very small portion," he said. "It's so small we're not able to be operational out of it. So, having the post opens the eyes to the public a little bit about how little we have to deal with that."

The "easy fix"

According to the Constable, the solution doesn't require a massive budget increase or a renovation—just an access card.

"All we need is a little bit more space," Constable Harkness said. "Two or three or more offices and access to the back. It's a very easy request, and I feel that the county is going to take care of it."

What's next:

FOX 26 reached out to both the Liberty County Sheriff's Office and the Commissioner's Court for comment.

Constable Harkness said if nothing is done, he'd consider bringing it up to the public agenda once more.