The Environmental Crimes Office has only been a “thing” in Burnet County for six years, but just the knowledge that someone is out there enforcing state trash and litter laws has helped keep the Highland Lakes clean.
That someone is Burnet County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Paul Kowalik, who was voted Favorite Law Enforcement Officer in the 2024 Locals Love Us contest by The Picayune Magazine readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners.
“This is really cool,” Kowalik said when told of the vote. “The most exciting thing is that what I do is going to get out to the public. My first step in this game is education. I’m not going to come to you ready to throw you in jail. I’m going to educate you. I want you to understand.”
The message he works to impart is the importance of maintaining a clean environment, especially in an area like Burnet County, which has five lakes within its boundaries.
“We have 168 tributaries that fill our lakes around here,” Kowalik said. “Ultimately, people downstream, you’re drinking the water we are producing up here.”
When first on the job, he went out looking for illegal dump sites, many created by what he termed “fly-by-night” trash haulers.
“I get out there and dig in the trash, looking for something to identify who it belongs to,” Kowalik said. “Then, I go find them and find out who put that trash there.”
Rather than writing endless citations or arresting violators, he works with them to change behaviors and pick up the garbage.
The number of scofflaw trash haulers has dropped significantly, Kowalik said. Now, he mostly responds to individual complaints called into the office. He no longer has to hunt for trash — it finds him.
Kowalik worked for over 25 years in law enforcement in Harris County before moving to the Highland Lakes to take over the BCSO environmental crimes job. He has owned property in the area for years.
“I love this job,” he said. “It’s so satisfying to me. I feel like I’ve found my niche. I love this county, and I’m going to work hard to keep it clean.”