About the Department
The Hawk Cove Police Department is led by the Chief of Police. A 2023 Texas Health and Human Services Commission hearing decision lists the same person as “Police Chief and City Administrator of Hawk Cove.” In 2023, then, the office that ran the police and the office that ran the City shared a single desk. We hold no later record of who holds either title.
The Chief's employment agreement is dated April 24, 2023. We hold a copy; it is not posted.
| Document | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Chief of Police employment agreement | Apr 24, 2023 | Not posted |
| Ordinance 2023-05-31.8 (Police) | Date blank (unsigned copy) | View |
Police Records: Who Decides
The records rules, costs and terms are on the Request Public Information page. This page covers a different question: who the ordinance puts in charge of police records.
- The Police Chief keeps them. The Chief “shall maintain all required records as Custodian of Records” (Ord. No. 2023-05-31.8, §5). The Chief may name a designee “in the Police Chief’s sole discretion” (§5).
- The Department’s staff answer to the Chief. Officers, reserve officers and civilians are “appointed in, and serve at, the sole discretion of the Police Chief” (§5).
- The Chief does not report it to the Mayor or Council. The Chief is “the sole administrative authority of and over the Department without the requirement, or reporting, of any of the Police Chief’s actions to the Mayor or Council” (§4).
- The Chief need not tell anyone. “The Police Chief shall not be required or caused to give any information in any public forum or to any person, and shall avoid such security breaches or safety issues that will or may affect the security, safety and welfare of any Department personnel or the Department.” (§5).
So: the ordinance makes the keeper of the Department’s records a person who “shall not be required or caused to give any information ... to any person.” Requests are still made on Request Public Information.