Texas Moves to Shut Down Police Department Over Public Benefit Failure
State officials said the five-member department failed minimum standards and provided no public benefit after arresting a resident over a Facebook post.
- The Trinidad Police Department will disband on Friday, September 18, after the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement revoked its license for failing to meet minimum standards and provide documented public benefit.
- State officials launched the investigation after resident Jennifer Combs was arrested in May for a Facebook post criticizing local water quality; Then-Police Chief Charles Gregory defended the arrest as 'cut and dry.'
- Investigators found the Trinidad Police Department lacked 18 mandatory policies, including use of force protocols, and failed to provide basic equipment such as bulletproof vests and an evidence room.
- The Henderson County Sheriff's Office will assume law enforcement duties as City Manager Cynthia Dosier and City Clerk Sandra Rojas resigned in July amid the administrative upheaval.
- Mayor Dennis Haws told The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday that the city remains focused on resolving long-standing water issues, saying 'Lives and families are impacted by this.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Texas Police Dept Disbanded After Arresting Mom Over Water Post
A tiny Texas police department that arrested a mother for posting about contaminated drinking water on Facebook has been ordered to disband by the state, after investigators found it lacked even basic use-of-force policies. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement revoked Trinidad's license to operate its own police force, telling Mayor Dennis Haws in a […]
Texas moves to shut down police department over failure to provide 'public benefit to the community' – Democratic Accent
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) is revoking the Trinidad Police Department’s authority to appoint or continue employing licensed officers effective Friday, following months of controversy surrounding the small Texas city’s police force. In a Sept. 9 letter to Mayor Dennis Haws, TCOLE said the department “failed to meet minimum standards” and “was unable to provide evidence that the agency provides public benefit to the community.…
Texas moves to shut down police department over failure to provide 'public benefit to the community'
TCOLE is revoking the Trinidad Police Department's authority to employ licensed officers, citing failures to meet minimum standards amid a misconduct investigation.
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