by Johnny White Sheriff-Elect Marquis Cantu is one of 14 county sheriffs selected nationwide for five days of intensive study at the Claremont Institute’s prestigious Sheriffs Fellowship in Orange County, California. Dedicated to the nation’s founding principles, the Claremont Institute created the Sheriffs Fellowship in 2021 and hosts cohorts of sheriffs multiple times each year.
Upon his acceptance to the Sheriffs Fellowship, Cantu received a 50 pound box of “heavy reading” about the nation’s founding, Constitution, and according to the website, “the dominant political themes animating the American political debate today in our education, media, and national political rhetoric.” This conference is just one of a list of professional development conferences Cantu has already attended related to administration of the sheriff’s office, including jail administration and a legislative conference. In December, he will attend New Sheriff’s Leadership Training provided by the State of Texas.
Currently, Cantu is working as a senior investigator in the county attorney’s office where he stays abreast of law enforcement activities in Llano County. Working in close proximity and cooperation with outgoing Sheriff Bill Blackburn, Cantu has participated in new initiatives that will carry over into his administration. According to Cantu, “I have been learning the budget process to accomplish these new initiatives.”
He referred to the new grant program in Senate Bill 22. The Llano County Sheriff’s Office will receive up to $350,000 to be used for training, equipment, and as Cantu emphasized, “anything that will keep our officers safe.” Cantu has identified several initiatives that he is enthusiastic about.
In deciding what new equipment was needed, Cantu focused in on rifles. “In some incidents that could have gone badly for our officers we needed rifles.” As an example, “If something happens in our public schools our officers need the equipment that can save lives.” The purchase of 21 new rifles is now in process.
Cantu is serious about keeping his word to the people who elected him. “I have a narcotics background and I promised the people I would address those problems in Llano County. Sheriff Blackburn and I agreed to have two dedicated officers in narcotics investigations.” Cantu elaborated, “I am very proud of the work the narcotics officers are already doing, but I cannot go into sensitive details.”
The personnel of the Llano County Sheriff’s Office is diverse. There are currently 64 total employees. In addition to the sheriff and chief deputy, there are three administrative personnel in the office. It requires 12 dispatchers to cover 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 12 hour shifts. In addition to the two narcotics officers, there are four full-time investigators. The 45-bed jail requires both correction officers and transportation officers. There is one full-time bailiff and four part-time bailiffs.
Four sergeants each supervise three or four patrol officers. Llano County has a significant geographic area to be covered, in cooperation with city police departments. Additionally, Cantu wants to have two mental health officers on his staff.
Cantu is sensitive to the mental health issues of the public he serves, those who may be incarcerated in the jail, and the well-being of his officers. He stated emphatically, “Mental health of officers is paramount.” He came by that conviction from personal experiences in traffic fatalities and other accidents, but particularly his experience in the Southerland Springs Baptist Church shooting in 2017.
Cantu explained, “When something bad like that happens, Rangers from all over the state converge on the scene. You check into the command post and receive your assignment.” Cantu was assigned to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“I attended every autopsy of every victim of that shooting,” he said. “Officers see things in the line of duty that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. The commander mandated that everyone involved in that incident go to therapy.”
The lesson Cantu carried away has remained with him. “If therapy is a mandatory thing, then the stigma of getting help is removed. I was grateful for that mandate,” he said. “I will absolutely require therapy after officer related shootings, crimes against children, and other incidents that may affect an officer’s mental health.”
Mainstream national news outlets have reported on both recent and historical abuses of power related to sheriffs’ offices. At least one organization, The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, maintains that sheriffs have more authority within their counties than the state or federal governments.
Asked about that reporting, Cantu responded, “I take very seriously the authority of the office of sheriff. I always want to do the right thing and always come to resolutions where my officers are safe and the public’s safety is protected. I will enforce the law of the land. If you are a law-abiding citizen then your rights should not be infringed upon. I hope that I will learn a lot about that at the Claremont Institute.”
