BEYOND THE BADGE

by Charlotte Kovalchuk • photos courtesy Liberty Hill PD

Having lived in Liberty Hill for 23 years and seen his three children graduate from local schools, Chris Rybarski was excited about the chance to lead the school district’s police department after hearing about its open police chief position. “We’ve lived in this community a long time, and there are still teachers at the school now who taught my kids. There are also teachers and employees who were friends with my middle daughter who are now teachers. When I left Austin PD, I thought ‘what a cool opportunity to give back to a school system that was integral in my kids’ lives.’ ”

Starting as a patrol officer 25 years ago, Chief Rybarski has enjoyed a law enforcement career that has taken him from Austin neighborhood patrol to Austin PD’s Bomb Squad, SWAT Team, and Dive Team, to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and Texas Attorney General Office. During his time with the APD Bomb Squad, he coordinated visits from President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush as well as presidential candidates during the Obama/Clinton campaign. As a member of the FBI’s JTTF, he investigated domestic and international terrorism, was a lead investigator during the Austin Bomber investigation, and investigated school shooting threats in Central Texas. Before becoming Liberty Hill ISD’s police chief, he worked in the Texas Attorney General Office’s Child Exploitation Unit and served as Director of Security at Hyde Park Private School. “I feel these assignments, some of which were high-stress jobs, have made me a well-rounded law enforcement officer.”

Welcoming Liberty Hill ISD PD’s New Police Chief

BUILDING CONNECTIONS

As a long-term resident and witness to Liberty Hill’s immense growth, Chief Rybarski is looking forward to leading Liberty Hill ISD’s police department as the district continues to grow with the city. “Obviously I’ve seen a huge amount of growth in the last 23 years and great diversity of the community,” he says, adding that one of the factors driving the growth is Liberty Hill’s excellent school district. “Having worked in Austin, I’ve come to appreciate the education kids are getting out here. People are recognizing Liberty Hill’s commitment to going the extra mile in education. The faculty and principals here are exceptional, fostering open and strong relationships with both students and fellow educators – I believe that’s what attracts people to this community.”

He plans to add two more officers to his team by the end of the year, and two more next year for the city’s planned new high school and elementary school, for a total of 12 officers.

When it comes to building rapport with students, Chief Rybarski leads by example — whether by working the car rider lines at schools or serving turkey and dressing at the Thanksgiving luncheon at Santa Rita Elementary. “[Our officers] are more than just school resource officers. These guys and girls in the schools actually develop relationships that stay with the kids after they graduate, which is a positive reflection on policing. The students know they can come talk to these officers. I think it enables the students to see the officers as role models and [helps people say], ‘Hey you know what? Officers are people, they’re just like us.’ ”

PURPLE SANTA

To ensure all the children of Liberty Hill have a merry Christmas this year, the Liberty Hill ISD Police Department has partnered with Liberty Hill PD to collect toys at schools for the Purple Santa Toy Drive. All LHISD campuses have designated collection areas for anyone who would like to drop off toys.