RESS EAGLE LAKE - Eagle Lake Police Chief Kris Abbott has been suspended effective immediately while an investigation is ongoing about alleged policy violations.
Eagle Lake City Manager Tink Jack- son released an official city response approved by the Eagle Lake City Attorney stating, “Pursuant to City policy, the Police Chief at Eagle Lake is hired and fired by the City Manager. Chief Abbott is currently on relief of duty with pay pending an investigation into alleged policy violations. The investigation is ongoing and the City cannot comment on any specifics regarding the investiga tion at this time.”
What is known about the suspension lies with an ex-Eagle Lake police officer, falsification of documents by that officer and the hiring of the said officer by the Weimar Police Department based on the
officer's file and a letter from Eagle Lake Police Chief Abbott clearing the officer of any wrongdoing.
The Weimar PD conducted a back- ground check on an officer for employ ment. During the investigation, Weimar Police Chief Todd Jacobs did not see anything in the officer's file about alle - gations of the officer being married to two people, which is against the law in Texas.
Chief Jacobs said, “We found that out when the city manager from Eagle Lake called and had a conversation with my city manager, and we found out we had been lied to by the police chief in Eagle Lake.”
Chief Jacobs was questioned as to why a particular police officer had been hired and has since been terminated during a regular Weimar City Council meet- ing on March 9. It appears the Weimar PD had hired the ex-Eagle Lake officer while he may have been married to two people, denying that he was married to two people. There is no central database in Texas to show marriage and divorce certificates.
The Weimar City Council went into an executive session to discuss the ac- tions of Chief Jacobs in hiring an officer who falsified information. Councilman Stephen Helmcamp questioned Chief Jacobs about the background check pro- cess of the officer in question.
Chief Jacobs said that during the background investigation, there was nothing in the Eagle Lake police file to show any concerns and there was no evidence in his file to say otherwise. After the back ground check and clearance by the Eagle Lake Police Chief, Jacobs decided to hire the officer.
During phone calls between city managers of Eagle Lake and Weimar, it was found that the facts did not bear out to be true, although background checks did not show any issues when Jacobs con- ducted his investigation. The officer was terminated for allegedly providing false information and was still under his six months probationary period. During the probationary period, officers may be re moved for any reason at any time.
Under Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, background checks can be extensive. Background investigators physically look at a prospective employee's file at each police department he worked for in the past.
After explaining the situation to the Weimar City Council, it was apparent that Chief Jacobs performed due diligence in the investigation of the exEagle Lake, an ex-Weimar officer, with what he had available at the time of the investigation.
As the investigation into Eagle Lake Police Chief Abbott’s policy violations runs its course, the Eagle Lake Police Department continues to protect its cit- izens.
