Trinidad, TX — A small Texas police department is set to shut its doors after state regulators determined it had failed to meet minimum standards as a law enforcement agency, months after officers arrested a mother over a Facebook post criticizing the city’s drinking water.
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement sent Trinidad Mayor Dennis Haws a letter on Sept. 9 revoking the city’s license to operate its own police department, according to KETK.
The decision followed an investigation conducted Aug. 5. State officials found that the Trinidad Police Department was unable to provide evidence that the agency provides public benefit to the community and was missing 18 required policies.
Those policies included rules covering use of force, vehicle pursuits, professional conduct and active-shooter situations, among other requirements.
The department is scheduled to officially close Friday.
Investigation followed mother’s arrest
The state investigation came after the May arrest of Jennifer Combs, a Trinidad mother who had posted on Facebook about concerns over the city’s drinking water.
Combs alleged that bacteria in Trinidad’s water pipes had hospitalized residents. Police arrested her on a felony charge of false alarm or report, claiming her post had created fear, panic or an unnecessary emergency response in the community.
However, the city had previously issued its own notice warning residents to boil their water to avoid harmful bacteria on April 21, weeks before Combs was arrested.
The contrasting statements surrounding the water concerns drew attention to the case. Trinidad Police Chief Charles Gregory defended the arrest at the time and described the case against Combs as “cut and dry.”
Following the attention surrounding the arrest, Gregory later dropped the felony charge against Combs.
Supporter was also arrested
The controversy expanded when police arrested Winston Noles, a citizen journalist who had supported Combs.
Noles was arrested on a misdemeanor disorderly-conduct allegation after displaying a sign outside Trinidad City Hall that criticized police.
That charge was also eventually dropped.
The arrests drew wider attention and were followed by the state investigation into the Trinidad Police Department.
Gregory resigned as police chief on June 19, despite previously telling a Trinidad City Council meeting that he had “nothing to hide” concerning the arrests of Combs and Noles.
Questions raised over police investigation
After Gregory’s resignation, the judge who had approved Combs’ search warrant sent a letter raising questions about the information presented by two Trinidad officers.
The judge questioned the “accuracy, completeness, and reliability of information” provided to him and also raised concerns about Gregory’s leadership.
The developments added to scrutiny of the department as state officials reviewed whether it was meeting the standards required of a law-enforcement agency.
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The Henderson County District Attorney’s Office announced in August that it would stop accepting cases from the Trinidad Police Department following the state investigation.
Water concerns also faced separate scrutiny
The concerns that initially appeared in Combs’ Facebook post also received attention from another state agency.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality identified issues involving Trinidad’s water supply, according to the report. City officials have since promised to address those problems.
After learning that the police department would be disbanded, Combs wrote on Facebook that residents who questioned the department had been dismissed or attacked and that she had been arrested.
“Now the state agency responsible for regulating Texas law enforcement has confirmed that this department could not demonstrate compliance with even the minimum standards,” she said.
Sheriff’s office will take over policing
Trinidad Mayor Dennis Haws said the state’s decision to disband the department was not a surprise.
“There’s been a lot of neglect through the years,” Haws told. “We are moving in a positive direction. We’ve got to get past all of this.”
The Trinidad Police Department serves a community in Henderson County about 75 miles southeast of Dallas.
The department has five full-time officers and several part-time officers. Once it closes Friday, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office will handle law-enforcement calls for Trinidad.
The city has just over 800 residents, according to 2024 census figures.
The department’s closure marks the end of a months-long controversy that began with a social media post about local water concerns and ultimately led to a state review of the police agency itself.
What do you think about the events that led to the Trinidad Police Department being shut down? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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