A school-based Livingston police officer assigned to Livingston High School was fired and arrested Monday after officials received allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with a student, according to local authorities. The officer was identified as 45-year-old Ryan Boyd, who was pulled from campus in early May after the district alerted police.
Boyd was placed on administrative leave after the district contacted the Livingston Police Department on May 1, local reporting shows. The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers launched an independent criminal investigation while LPD conducted a separate internal review; once investigators told the department that charges would be filed, Boyd was terminated, taken into custody by the Rangers, and booked into the Polk County Jail on a charge of improper relationship between educator and student, according to Click2Houston.
In a statement relayed to reporters, Livingston Police said, "LPD understands incidents like this can damage public trust. We want our community to know that these allegations were taken seriously from the beginning." The department added that the investigation remains active and encouraged anyone with information to contact the Polk County District Attorney’s Office, as reported by Click2Houston.
District response
In an online notice, Livingston ISD said it is aware of the arrest and will not be sharing additional details while the case is active. The district stressed that student safety is its top priority and noted that school-based officers are employees of the Livingston Police Department who serve on campuses under the district’s agreements with the city.
What the law says
Under Texas law, an improper relationship between an educator and a student is criminalized as "Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student" and is a second-degree felony when it involves sexual contact or intercourse with a student enrolled at the school where the employee works. The statute includes privacy protections for the student’s identity and lists only narrow defenses; penalties can include prison time and professional fallout. See Texas Penal Code §21.12 on the Texas Legislature website.
What happens next
Prosecutors in Polk County will review the evidence and decide whether to move forward with formal charges, and Livingston police say the investigation is still underway. Anyone with information has been asked to contact the Polk County District Attorney's Office; the Polk County DA handles felony prosecutions for the area.
Local context
This case is unfolding in a small district that earlier this spring saw a teacher arrested after police said drugs were found in a junior-high classroom, a situation that rattled parents and staff. Those earlier incidents raised local concerns about oversight and employee screening, as previously reported when a Livingston junior-high teacher busted over meth in classroom made headlines.
