Retired Williamson County Assistant Chief Deputy to challenge Sheriff Chody in November 2020

Retired Williamson County Assistant Chief Deputy Mike Gleason will challenge current Sheriff Robert Chody in the November 2020 election.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Retired Williamson County Assistant Chief Deputy Mike Gleason will challenge current Sheriff Robert Chody in the November 2020 election.

He confirmed to KXAN that he filed his report to the Williamson County Elections Office on Friday.

“I just want to get the department back to the standard where it was at,” said Gleason, adding that his 24 years of experience more than qualifies him for the job. He started as a corrections officer with the sheriff’s office and worked his way up the ranks, and even said Chody has called him for advice.

“I welcome my Democrat opponent to the race,” Sheriff Chody wrote in a statement. “We have a tremendous record of keeping crime out of Williamson County. We have a significantly lower violent crime rate than all six of the counties that surround us – urban or rural.  Williamson County is only 2% of the State’s population, but we have 3 of the top 15 safest cities in Texas and we are getting even better. I will be interested to hear in the campaign what my new opponent wants to change about that.”

Gleason retired from the department in 2017 and said he looks forward to rebuilding trust with the community and within the department.