Shiner Police Department

06/16/2026

A big THANK YOU to the NRA for their 2026 grant that helped us to modernize and equip the Shiner Police Department with patrol rifles. The National Rifle Association helps law enforcement agencies across the country secure funding for vital equipment needs and we appreciate the NRA for all the work they do to protect the 2nd Amendment. 🇺🇸

06/15/2026

A walking cane was turned in at City Hall. It was found at Welhausen Park last Friday. If you are missing yours, please call or go by City Hall and describe it in order to claim.

A child's scooter was also turned in at City Hall. Please call or go by. NOTE: You must be able to describe it before claiming. Thank you.

06/15/2026

Sharing ANOTHER SCAM...fortunately, we haven't encountered this one..."yet"... Be Safe!

The scam attempts keep coming and they are getting quite elaborate. A resident received a call earlier this week from a person posing as one of our majors, and it appeared on caller ID that he placed the call from our office phone number.
The reason for his call was quite elaborate. He informed the resident that someone had stolen their ID (and he provided the person's correct social security number, birthdate, address, email address etc.) The "major" went on to explain that the thief used the victim's information to buy millions of dollars worth of fentanyl, and that for safety purposes, the victim now needed to enter the witness protection program under a new identity. He even emailed "official" paperwork. Then, when the "major" transferred the person to an FBI agent, the plot thickened even more.
We don't want to provide too many details, because would-be crooks read Facebook, too, and we don't want to teach more people how to commit these terrible crimes!
Fortunately, our resident smelled something fishy and came to talk with us - despite the agent's insistence on complete secrecy "for the victim's own safety." [Yeah, right.]
Fear, secrecy, official documents, spoofed numbers, knowledge of personal details, and a promise to help get out of a tremendous jam - this situation had all the classic elements of a scam. It can be hard to spot a scam when you are terrified.
Fortunately, our resident came to talk to us. We were able to offer reassurance, make sure they did not suffer any monetary loss, and provide some suggestions about further financial safeguards. We hope others will seek our assistance in similar situations. Remember: no law enforcement officer will object to you calling another law enforcement officer for verification of a problem. If they do, just hang up the phone.

06/12/2026

Thank you Sgt. Kalina for the Safety Program and drone demonstration at Shiner FUMC 😀

06/12/2026

Shiner Police Department Sergeant Chris Kalina presented a safety program to VBS youth at Shiner FUMC that also included a public safety search-and-rescue drone demonstration. The children were excited and Sgt. Kalina took the time to answer all of their questions. SPD would like to thank FUMC for their invitation to put on the safety talk and drone flight demonstration.

06/10/2026

**SCAM ALERT** (See Below)

Texas District Court – Traffic Violation Summons
Issuing Officer: Deputy Rebecca Sterling, Badge Number: TX-67329
Judge: Marcus Hill
Clerk: Olivia Grant
Case Number: TX-DC-2026-TR-38190
You must appear in District Court at 9:20 a.m. on June 11, 2026, to address an unpaid traffic violation fine. Failure to comply will result in an arrest warrant issuance, immediate suspension of your driver’s license, vehicle impoundment, enforcement of a civil judgment, wage withholding, and seizure of assets. Proceedings will begin automatically.
Immediate resolution is required:
https://************** (URL)
(Do not disregard this notice. Your case is overdue. Reply with "G" to re-enter this message, or copy the link into your browser and resolve it immediately to avoid further legal action.)
Texas District Court

The above is a Scam Text that is going around. DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS. DO NOT REPLY! There is no such entity as "Texas District Court" and there are no legitimate courts or law enforcement officers that will send anyone a text like this. Please share with family and friends.

06/05/2026

06/01/2026

SCAM ALERT: "Missed Federal Jury Duty" Threats

If you receive a phone call, text, or email claiming you missed federal jury duty and must pay a fine to avoid arrest, DO NOT RESPOND! This is a scam.

How the Scam Works:

Scammers impersonate U.S. Marshals, sheriff's deputies, police departments or court officials. They claim a warrant is out for your arrest or about to be issued. They can "Spoof" the phone number on your caller ID making it appear they are calling from a local law enforcement agency.

They pressure you to pay an immediate "fine" or "bond."

They demand untraceable methods like CASH APPS, prepaid gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.

How Real Courts Actually Operate:
Courts WILL NOT CALL YOU OR TEXT YOU! Courts communicate almost exclusively through official U.S. Mail.

Court officials or law enforcement officers will NEVER demand money, credit card numbers, or social security numbers over the phone or by email.

If you actually miss jury duty, a judge will order you to appear in court in person to explain your absence BEFORE issuing any penalties. The order to appear will not include any demand for money. Law enforcement will NEVER call, text, or email demanding money for missing court, failure to pay fines, or tell you that you have a warrant.

What You Should Do:

Hang Up: Do not engage, argue, or give out personal data.

If you are a victim of this scam, you can file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov

This is just one of thousands of scams that are happening. Please share with family and friends, especially elderly.

05/25/2026

Remember and Honor those brave men and women this Memorial Day.

05/20/2026

**ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SCAMS**

Have you received a call from a friend or family member requesting money? It may be a Criminal Scammer imitating a member of your family, friend, boss, co-worker, clergy, or local business or organization.

Criminals are now using AI to scam unsuspecting victims and steal identities and money.

Voice Cloning:
Scammers can take just three seconds of audio from a social media post to clone a voice with incredible accuracy. They use this to replicate the voice of a family member in distress (often referred to as the "grandparent scam").

Deepfake Video Calls:
Fraudsters use live, interactive video avatars during video chats to pose as a family member. These live fakes are extremely convincing and have fooled many people into believing they are looking at and speaking to someone they know well, while in reality, they are actually interacting with a criminal posing as a family member.

Hyper-Personalized Phishing:
Scammers scrape public social media profiles and previous data breaches. They draft tailored email or text messages referencing specific meetings, invoice numbers, or personal details to steal bank logins or account information.

Fake Investment & Hype Sites:
Bad actors promote fake trading or cryptocurrency websites by utilizing the buzz around "AI investing". The platforms show fake, climbing stock balances, but the scammers lock the account and vanish when you try to cash out.

AI-Generated E-Commerce Listings:
On popular open marketplaces, sellers use AI tools to generate flawless product images. Buyers receive low-quality acrylic or plastic printouts that look nothing like the advertised luxury item, or they may receive nothing at all.

AI Romance Bots:
Scammers use emotionally intelligent chatbots to sustain dozens of romantic text conversations simultaneously. They build deep trust over weeks before fabricating an emergency and asking for money. They may pose as active-duty military and claim they are stationed overseas or in a war zone. The scammers can be VERY convincing!

How to Protect Yourself:

Establish a Family Safe Word:
Agree on a unique phrase with family members. If a relative calls and asks for money, ask for the safe word to quickly verify their identity.

Always Call Back Directly:
If you receive an urgent request from a bank, utility company, or family member, hang up immediately. Dial them back using a trusted number your saved contacts or look up their number yourself.

Lock Down Privacy Settings:
Keep social media profiles private. Scammers actively scrape public videos and voice clips to build deepfakes and clone your identity. If you suspect a scammer is calling, texting, or emailing you...BLOCK THEM, DO NOT ENGAGE!

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY "ELDERLY" FAMILY MEMBERS.