The small Texas city of Hawkins now stands without any law enforcement protection after its city council voted to terminate the final police officer during a heated Monday night meeting.
Lieutenant Eric Tuma was fired from the Hawkins Police Department in a narrow 3-2 vote by the city council.
The termination was based on alleged “dereliction of sworn duties” and “abandonment of post.”
Mayor Deborah Lynn Rushing celebrated the controversial decision that left her community without police protection.
The mayor expressed enthusiasm about implementing new policies following state law.
“We are excited to write policies and pass policies that follow the law of the state of Texas and that everyone has to go by that law,” Rushing stated following the vote.
Monday’s meeting marked the first city council session since Rushing faced arrest in May.
The mayor was booked on tampering with government records charges related to secretly recording conversations with city officials.
Rushing allegedly recorded several council members without their knowledge during an April 24 meet and greet event for Hawkins City Council candidates.
These secret recordings were not made available to the public as required by law.
During one of those covert recordings, Rushing reportedly took credit for the February layoffs that had already decimated the Hawkins Police Department.
Those earlier dismissals left Tuma as the sole remaining officer protecting the community.
The mayor allegedly shared the secret recordings with Matthew Todd Eddington, a 51-year-old local resident described as an internet troll.
Eddington was also arrested in connection with the tampering case.
Court documents reveal that Eddington maintains “a long-standing history of creating derogatory and hateful social media posts about members of the Hawkins City Council.”
Both Rushing and Eddington remain under investigation by the Texas Rangers.
The police department’s troubles began in February when Rushing revoked three officer badges.
She cited improper hiring practices and claimed the previous police chief failed to obtain proper city council approval for the hires.
Those terminated officers had been hired by former police chief Paul Holland.
Holland resigned on January 25, shortly after Rushing attempted to completely disband the police department during a city council meeting.
The mayor’s extreme proposal to eliminate law enforcement entirely was voted down 4-1 by the council. However, her efforts to reduce the force continued through subsequent personnel actions.
Monday’s termination of the final officer shocked both council members and residents who attended the meeting.
Councilmember Eric Maloy, who voted against firing Tuma, questioned the lack of documentation supporting the dismissal.
“There’s nothing in our packet for what he did wrong,” Maloy told reporters.
“I just asked tonight during the meeting, where is the paperwork for him being written up.”
Maloy expressed dismay at the council’s decision to leave the community without police protection.
He revealed that Tuma had recently taken approved time off for a family emergency and had properly notified both the city and Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m very distraught and can’t believe it,” Maloy stated regarding the termination vote.
Hawkins residents voiced strong opposition to the decision during the meeting.
Amy Pack, a local resident, stormed out of the council session in protest of the vote.
“It’s a travesty, it’s a joke,” Pack declared before leaving the meeting.
The elimination of local police protection has prompted some residents to consider taking security matters into their own hands, the New York Post highlighted.
Pack indicated she would not rely on emergency services given the current situation.
“I’m not gonna call 911, I’m gonna protect my home and take matters into my own hands,” Pack announced.
The post Shock as Small Texas Town Makes ‘Travesty’ Decision of Firing Last Remaining Police Officer Just After its Mayor was Arrested – Now Defenseless Residents are on Edge: ‘Take Matters Into My Own Hands’ appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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