From The Texas Standard: Report Says State Law Enforcement Commission Lacks Tools To Deal With Bad Cops

For 2306 and our look at the Sunset Advisory Commission.

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A scathing state government report says the agency providing oversight for Texas law enforcement operations isn’t doing a very good job. 

According to The Houston Chronicle, a recently-released report by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission notes the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, or TCOL’s, inability to adequately train officers and keep so called bad apples out of the law enforcement job pipeline.

St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety for The Houston Chronicle. He told Texas Standard that though more than 600 Texas law enforcement officers received dishonorable discharges for misconduct last year, more than one-quarter were rehired as sworn officers.

Barned-Smith said the report found TCOL doesn’t have the powers it would need to prevent rehiring of fired officers.

“The TCOL is only allowed to revoke officers’ licenses in very rare circumstances,” Barned-Smith said.

For more.

- Sunset Advisory Commission.
- Report on Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
- Agency website.