SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Sheriff's Office's newest chief was counseled this week after a sign for Sheriff Javier Salazar's reelection was found in a county-owned vehicle.
Photos shared with KENS 5 show the sign in the back of a vehicle parked behind the jail. After running the plates on the vehicle, Eyewitness Wants to Know found that the car is county-owned.
The photos show a violation of the county's policy on political activity, which says in part, "employees may voluntarily participate in political activities provided that it is a voluntary action … and they do not engage in such activities while using county property.”
Read the full policy:
Bexar County employees are encouraged to vote during elections for the person or party of their choice. No employee shall be required to support, work for, make financial contribution to, or otherwise do campaign work for any candidate for political office.
Employees may voluntarily participate in political activities provided that it is a voluntary action on their part and they do not engage in such activities while on duty, in uniform, or while using County property.
No employee may be discharged, demoted, denied promotion, transferred or subjected to any type of personnel action because they did or did not participate in political activities.
KENS 5 brought the photos to the attention of the Sheriff's Office, who said who was behind the wheel and why.
“Chief Jaime Rios had returned to the jail to relieve a deputy who needed to leave for a family emergency," the Sheriff's Office said. "Chief Rios forgot the sign was in his vehicle and subsequently was informed of County policies regarding political activity."
Rios was added to the sheriff's Command Staff in late October. They said that being that Rios is new, he wasn't aware of the policy and that's why he put the sign in his vehicle on Saturday.