Sheriff Matthew Lindemann’s very first job after graduating from the Central Texas Regional Police Academy was as a Williamson County jailer, followed by his role as deputy sheriff.
Then, Lindemann served in the Department of Public Safety as a trooper for seven years and as a Texas Ranger for 21 years. He provided security to Gov. George W. Bush and Gov. Rick Perry through the DPS SWAT team during their campaigns for presidency, he said.
After retiring from the DPS in 2018, Lindemann worked for District Attorney Shawn Dick as an investigator for almost three years, he said. In 2021, Williamson County Commissioners Court voted in Lindemann as Precinct 3 Constable to fill an unexpected vacancy.
Following the Nov. 5 election, he was sworn in as county sheriff Jan. 1. Lindemann sat down with Community Impact to discuss the goals for his first term.
You were born and raised in Bartlett but have served in many places. What’s kept you in Williamson County throughout your career?
Over 40 years, the only time I haven't been stationed in Williamson County was eight months. ... I've worked here, really, since I was 19 years old. ... I wanted to raise our children here, and with the Department of Public Safety, when you promote, you usually have to go to the location the vacancy exists. I was in the Rangers 17 years before I promoted because I wanted our children to grow up here and be in one location.
What made you get into law enforcement?
I was in the volunteer fire department [in Bartlett] and would eventually become the chief of the department. When I graduated high school, I went down to the Austin Fire Department to get a job as a professional firefighter. ... They had a big board that said you had to be between 19-29, and I was 18. I was thinking, "Man, that's a lifetime to wait a whole year to get a job." I went back home, and the chief of police said, "Well, I could send you through a law enforcement academy right now." ... I went through that law enforcement academy, and I rode out with a Bell County sheriff's deputy. ... Shortly after I got in the car with him ... he had a car pulled over and people out in the ditch and at gunpoint because they had been involved in a shooting. And I was thinking, "Man, nothing ever this exciting happened in the fire department." So that's kind of what got me interested.
You served as a Texas Ranger earlier in your career. How do you think that experience set you up for your role as county sheriff?
When you're a Texas Ranger, you work with local law enforcement agencies on their major investigations. At times, there had been investigations that I worked on where there would be 30 or 40 people from different agencies working together. ... I had experience in managing people, even though they didn't work directly for me, but managing major investigations. ... Working with other great people from other great agencies [prepares] you for things that you don't even realize at the time.
Williamson County launched the Care Coordination program with Unbound Now on Jan. 24, which will help combat child sex trafficking. Who is on this team, and how will they be addressing human trafficking in the county?
The Sheriff's Office has an organized crime unit—a number of detectives that are dedicated to human trafficking, sex trafficking, as well as narcotics investigations. They had already been working with Unbound [Now]. ... When you have a victim of a crime, law enforcement does their part, but there's so much more that's needed. ... It's my understanding that's where [Care Coordination] comes in to help us, and it's essential for law enforcement to have those kinds of resources, because we're limited to what we can do for a crime victim.
In our Q&A article we ran with Williamson County’s sheriff candidates before the November 2024 election, you said if elected, you hope to increase cooperation with local, state and federal partners. What does this look like, and have you started any initiatives to improve collaboration?
I was meeting with a chief of police today. That meeting would normally occur quarterly. ... I said, "Well, that's great we're meeting quarterly, but why couldn't we meet more frequently, like by Teams or by Zoom?" He said, "Man, that's a great idea. I hadn't thought about that." ... When it goes up to the administrators, we don't have the opportunity to see each other as frequently, because you all have your things you're taking care of in your own agency. I think that'll be a great start by meeting virtually once a month or more frequently, if needed.
You previously told Community Impact you will prioritize the citizens of Williamson County by focusing on responsible communication with the public. What are some steps you’ve made to become more transparent with citizens?
About the first week of February, we put out stats on our website and on our Facebook page. ... It just tells the public where their money's going—calls for service, the number of people arrested that month, and that's collectively of all law enforcement. ... A lot of people, they may see one patrol car go down their street in a month's time. Well, they don't realize that we answered 10,228 calls of service.
During the election, your campaign focused on being “tough on crime.” How is your office dealing with crime countywide, specifically with drug and traffic-related crimes?
Detectives are doing great work every day. Three or four times over the last five weeks, I've seen pictures of search warrants that they executed and seized drugs and weapons that they've taken off the street. That's going to help reduce crime, because that's one less weapon the bad guys will have to use against people. ... We have a drug interdiction unit that works hard every day trying to take down drugs off the interstate and seize money from the criminals, so we can use that to buy equipment and train with.
Officials broke ground on the Juvenile Justice Center expansion on Jan. 31, and commissioners have recently discussed the possibility of moving Williamson County services out of downtown Georgetown and proposed a Sheriff's Office and Jail expansion. What’s the reasoning behind these expansions, and why should residents care?
With population comes increased crime, so you have to have the facilities to deal with it. If you don't have places to house people that break the law and commit crimes, then you have to send them to other counties who charge you. ... Over the next eight to 10 years, I fully expect there [to] be a new Sheriff's Office, jail and courthouse complex. With more people and more crime coming, we have to be able to deal with that to keep Williamson County safe for people to live here, work here, raise their children here. It's costly, but it's what's necessary.
What’s another priority that’s come up as you’ve entered this position?
I want our personnel to focus on taking care of our most vulnerable population, and that's seniors and our children. We need to work hard to educate our kids ... not [to] take anything that a doctor or pharmacist or their parents don't give to them. Our seniors are being victimized daily by phone scams. ... The Sheriff's Office is not going to call anyone and request money from them. ... If [we] have a warrant for their arrest, we'll probably come out and see them.
What’s next for the Sheriff’s Office?
We're going to be asking for probably ... 20 more deputies for next year. And that's a big ask, because each deputy is between $150,000-$200,000 by the time you buy their vehicle and the equipment that goes in the vehicle and [train] them. ... But that's just the cost of doing business. [The] main thing I want to do is make sure each one of the deputies come home safe at the end of every day.
In March, you’ll have served in law enforcement for 40 years. Reflecting on your career, what are you most proud of?
Wow, that's a tough question. I've gotten to work with so many talented people over the years that have helped me be a better officer, and I've had a lot of opportunities given to me that I took full advantage of. I'm very thankful for that. [I’m] thankful to have lived and worked in Williamson County, where I grew up. Hopefully we'll be able to keep it safe for families for years to come. My grandchildren are being raised here right now, and that's why Williamson County is so important to me. It's my home, and I don't plan on living anywhere else, as far as I know.
