Resident warns of multiple police departures, says about 20% of Live Oak force left in two months

A resident used the public-comment period at the Sept. 29 Live Oak City Council meeting to raise staffing and accountability concerns at the Live Oak Police Department.

The speaker said that around eight employees left for neighboring agencies in roughly a two-month span, noting that the department has just over 30 personnel and that the departures represent about 20% of the force. The speaker named several employees who left for other departments, including Sergeant Curtis Sanders (who the speaker said was the only canine officer), dispatcher Bailey Shanks, dispatcher supervisor Felicia Campbells, dispatcher Miranda Benavides, David Salazar, an officer identified as Reyes, and Corporal Mark Perez, who the speaker said left for Schertz PD.

The speaker also alleged that a dispatcher identified as Garcia did not go to another department but was "indicted on 24 counts of promoting child" offenses (the transcript contains redactions for some of that language). The speaker said Chief Michael Freitas would officially resign the following day and that Freitas had told no new employer was announced.

"When your entire department has just over 30 personnel, it's 20% of your entire department in 8 weeks," the resident said, urging the council to investigate the cluster of departures. The transcript records these claims as public comment; the mayor or staff did not provide recorded responses to these allegations in the excerpt provided.