The Collin County Sheriff's Office sat out National Night Out on Tuesday, Oct. 6, for the first time in at least 20 years after commissioners eliminated the sergeant position that ran the event, as first reported by WFAA.

The Collin County Commissioners Court voted during its fiscal year 2027 (FY2027) budget workshop in late August to cut the Public Information Sergeant post held by Sgt. Jessica Pond. The position was eliminated effective Oct. 1. Pond oversaw public information, community engagement, crime prevention and the coordination of events including National Night Out, the Citizens Academy and Citizens on Patrol, according to a statement from Sheriff Jim Skinner posted Aug. 24.

For residents near Murphy, Wylie and Sachse in unincorporated Collin County, the Sheriff's Office was the primary source of those outreach programs.

"The Court's action will have real consequences," Skinner wrote in a statement to WFAA. "It reduces our capacity to communicate, to educate, and to partner with our community."

The Sheriff's Office told WFAA the cut removes a key part of its community engagement infrastructure. WFAA reported Oct. 6 that the county declined to comment further.

Skinner had already cancelled Citizens Academy Class 30, which was scheduled to run from August through November. In his Aug. 24 statement, he said he did not believe it would be responsible to start a new class without knowing how the program would be supported after the position disappeared.

He said he asked the Commissioners Court how his office should handle public information requests and community services going forward. No response had been provided at the time.

The budget the commissioners formally adopted Sept. 14 totals $633.8 million and adds staffing elsewhere in the Sheriff's Office, including six deputy patrol positions, a deputy assigned to the GHOST unit and a narcotics sergeant, according to the Murphy Monitor. The overall property tax rate rose to $0.151414 per $100 of assessed value, the first increase in more than three decades. County Judge Chris Hill cast the lone dissenting vote.

The loss of the Sheriff's Office presence does not affect city-run celebrations. Wylie held its own National Night Out on Oct. 6 at Olde City Park with Wylie Police Department and Wylie Fire Rescue on hand.

No replacement for the eliminated position has been announced. Residents can contact the Collin County Sheriff's Office at (972) 547-5350.