This Calvert situation hurt my soul Saturday

Published Thursday, February 20, 2025

by Dennis Phillips

I don’t call people out in my column; I never do that, but I have no choice this time, so I’m making an exception.

As most know, this past weekend on Saturday was spent beating the bushes, knocking on doors, and standing in the cold, wet morning, hoping and praying that 75-year-old Odell Williams would be found safe and sound. That is not how the day played out, and by 10:30 a.m., one hour after the start of a community-organized search began, Williams was located deceased.

I saw people, lots of people of all races, walking the streets of Calvert. Some were in rain ponchos, most in rubber boots, all cold, wet, and miserable. But everyone was hopeful, working together and praying for the best. This wasn’t a street party; it was a horrible situation, but we were there all the same. Well, most of us, anyway.

I saw the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, Calvert Fire Department, Pct. 1 Constable David Ray, but what I didn’t see surprised me, and that takes a lot. After 30 years in this business, it took a lot to make me stop and consider what was happening.

I did not see the new Police Chief of Calvert, Cedric Watson. I did not see a single Calvert Police Officer. I did not see the mayor, council members, or the City Manager, Sergio Loya. Why?

I met a lovely lady who is running for mayor. She called dispatch after she did not get a response from the Calvert Police Department on Wednesday. On Thursday, she was informed by the new chief of police in Calvert that Calvert did not have the resources to assist her and suggested she contact the Sheriff’s Department instead.

What? No resources? Calvert has three officers who are always ready to write a speeding ticket. I say to you, Chief, Mayor, City Manager, and Council, Calvert is your city to protect and serve. These are your people, and frankly, they deserve better than a police department that will turn their backs and hide behind some lame excuses to avoid working. This is just simply shameful. If you had a personal emergency, call me and hand me proof, and I will retract your name or title next week.

All of you should have been in that street, knocking on doors and looking to find your missing resident. Period.

What struck me most was the community’s reaction to the indifference shown by their leaders. People were saying things like, “Well, this is Calvert,” and “Yeah, we all know they weren’t coming,” among other comments. I do have those responses recorded if you’re interested in hearing them.

Citizens of Calvert, you deserve better than this. If you need my help electing new officials, I will be there for you and many others in law enforcement, county government, and more. Let’s do better in this upcoming election. Find the right people to do the critical work of managing, caring, and growing Calvert.

You might think I’m finished, but I’m not. When I said I was shocked, I genuinely meant I was horrified, and it all started with Mr. Jay Grimes and a video he posted on social media. While the video begins with sincerity, it quickly shifts to a racist tone. On four occasions, Mr. Grimes makes accusations of racism explicitly directed at the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney, and other political figures in Robertson County.

“This is a cry for help for my hometown of Calvert, Texas. We have more questions than we do have answers,” stated Jay Grimes in a social media video post. “Odell Williams has been missing since February the 9th.”

Grimes would continue in the 12-minute video to state, “But my problem is, like with Calvert PD, Robertson County Sheriff, Coty Seigert (Robertson County DA), y’all know damn well, and this is the honest to God’s truth, I hate to go this way but if this was a white man in Franklin or Bremond you guys would have exhausted every *** damn resource, task force, called in reinforcements and any manpower to find this man.”

Grimes continued to repeat this racial accusation three more times during the video.

With the exception of Police Chief Cedric Watson, a Black man and reportedly the first Black chief of Calvert, I know all those “racial” offenders accused in the video.

To clarify, the Robertson County District Attorney’s office does not become involved until a case goes to trial. While they do have internal investigators, their role is to research evidence in ongoing trials and gather information to help build a stronger case for prosecution.

Regarding the Robertson County Sheriff, Bill Ruland, he informed me that the department got involved as soon as they were notified about the situation, which occurred on Wednesday, February 12, when Mrs. Aaliyyah Bowie called 911 dispatch.

I take offense Mr. Grimes.

Grandstanding on social media to gain likes and views is unacceptable. Using race and making racial statements to inflame the public is intolerable. You presented yourself as knowledgeable, but the only accurate information you had was that Mr. Williams was missing.

You did not know what the Sheriff’s Department was or was not doing because you did not call to ask. In fact, law enforcement only reached out to you because media personnel alerted them to your claims that they were blatantly ignoring the disappearance of a 75-year-old man solely based on his skin color. When does it end? When will you stop spreading racial hatred?

I’ll get off my soapbox, but I promise it is sitting here next to me, ready for use whenever needed. Any citizen of Robertson County can call me on my cell phone 979-250-2733. Change happens when we work together for the betterment of mankind, so let’s do it.