Votes at a glance: TCOLE actions on audits, rules, contracts and disciplinary cases (Sept. 10, 2025)

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement took multiple formal actions at its Sept. 10 meeting in Amarillo. This summary lists the motions, the outcomes and key details drawn from the meeting record.

Internal audit - Action: Approved Weaver & Tidwell’s fiscal year 2025 internal audit report and the fiscal year 2026 internal audit plan. - Outcome: Approved by commission motion. - Notes: FY26 plan schedules audits on information controls, information security (staggered approach), budgeting and planning, data management and procurement, and law‑enforcement asset management.

Capital transfer / Confidential statewide employment database - Action: Approved capital budget transfer to develop a confidential statewide employment database (CSED). Authorized up to $800,000 for the 2026–27 biennium. - Outcome: Approved by commission motion. To be forwarded to the Governor’s Office and the Legislative Budget Board for required review and approval. - Vendor: OpenText selected; described as FedRAMP/TexTRAMP certified. OpenText representative said no prior breaches.

Rules (final adoptions) The commission gave final approval to multiple rule amendments and new rules pushed by staff following workshops and the required public‑notice period. All passed on final readings. - Rule 2.11.1 — Definitions (added definitions for full‑time peace officer, part‑time peace officer, reserve law enforcement officer). Outcome: Adopted. - Rule 2.11.29 — Chief administrators’ responsibilities (personnel files and misconduct reporting consistent with model policies). Outcome: Adopted. Staff clarified agencies will not be required to submit personnel files until the secure upload system is ready. - Rule 2.15.9 — Training coordinator reporting responsibilities (require training coordinators to report student separations from basic licensing courses within 30 days). Outcome: Adopted. - Rule 2.23.19 — License revocation (mandatory revocation for certain criminal dispositions involving vulnerable persons, abuse of office, cruelty to animals). Outcome: Adopted. - Rule 2.15.8 — New minimum standards for appointment as a training coordinator over a basic licensing course. Outcome: Adopted.

Disciplinary and licensing actions (selection) The commission considered and disposed of multiple contested and default matters, including suspensions, revocations, cancellations, agreed administrative penalties and a waiver request. - Default suspension orders (examples): The commission accepted default suspension orders seeking 10‑year suspensions in multiple DWI cases and other suspensions (record lists 11 default suspension orders; each was approved as recommended). Names included (example list from docket): John Allen Jr.; Jared Ashlock; Deron Coleman; James Getz; Sarah Hodgson; Deditra Jenkins; Sarah LaToulet; Nicholas Razzo; Carolina Torres; among others. Outcomes: 10‑year suspensions where proposed; 90‑day suspensions for training/certification failures in other cases. - Default revocation: Billy Beavers — convicted or placed on community supervision for assault causing bodily injury (family violence). Outcome: Revocation approved (default revocation order accepted). - Cancellation defaults: Multiple applicants or licensees with pre‑licensure convictions or equivalent out‑of‑state offenses whose petitions were not answered had licenses cancelled as recommended (examples: Braden Bearden; Brian Raymore; Ray Thompson III). Outcome: Cancellations approved. - Agreed suspensions and administrative penalties: The commission accepted agreed suspension waivers and agreed administrative penalty waivers where respondents or agencies signed waivers (examples: agreed suspension for Alfred Kinsey; agreed administrative penalties accepted for Holiday Lakes Police Department ($7,900), North Texas Emergency Communication Center ($8,000), and other agencies). Outcome: Accepted. - Contested proposals for decision (ALJ recommendations and commission actions): The commission changed or accepted findings in several contested cases where the administrative law judge (ALJ) issued a Proposal for Decision (PFD): - William J. Ramsey — staff requested cancellation based on licensure minimum standards; commission adopted staff’s proposed order to cancel the license. - Christopher Bush — ALJ recommended a five‑year discipline (2 suspended + 3 probated); executive director sought a stricter five‑year active suspension plus 5‑year probation; commission approved the executive director’s proposed suspension (broadly: five years active then five years probated as reflected in adopted order). - Tangie Beaton — ALJ recommended a 10‑year suspension; commission accepted the PFD and suspended the license for 10 years beginning with the conviction date. - Merriam Rogers — ALJ recommended revocation after summary disposition for domestic‑violence related community supervision; commission accepted revocation. - John Joslin — ALJ recommended revocation for multiple material omissions on personal history statements; commission accepted revocation.

Waiver: class A misdemeanor - Action: The commission considered a class A misdemeanor waiver request submitted by the Caldwell County Sheriff on behalf of an applicant, Patrick Rojas, whose pre‑licensure record included a juvenile arrest for unlawful carrying of a weapon (deferred adjudication). The sheriff presented corrective steps, stronger background procedures, and the applicant testified to his community ties and work history. - Outcome: The commission granted the class A misdemeanor waiver unanimously; the waiver is specific to the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office appointment and did not automatically apply to other appointments or future promotion decisions.

Procedure note: Many matters were default or agreed dispositions where respondents did not answer petitions or signed waivers; contested matters that proceeded to SOAH (state office of administrative hearings) resulted in PFDs that the commission modified or adopted as noted.

Why it matters: The meeting combined routine agency business (audit plan, procurement authority) with consequential licensing and disciplinary actions. The database approval and rule adoptions implement parts of the agency’s sunset recommendations and statutory responsibilities.

Ending: The commission adjourned with outreach and training conference reminders and an instruction that agency staff will continue implementation work and follow up on the chosen capital project and rule rollouts.