Chief Distraught About Decision

EDGEWOOD—Edgewood Police Chief Henry Askew said Thursday he "is perplexed" about the city’s decision to shut down the department and put its full-time officers on paid leave at least through Monday.

However, Askew said what really has him upset is the manner in which he and the department’s employees were, in his words, "treated like criminals."

"They called us to the city office out of the blue with the sheriff, chief deputy, a (county) investigator and two Texas Rangers there. We’re told the department is being closed and then we are escorted out of the (police) offices and watched as we are getting personal items out of the cars and office," Askew said.

Texas Rangers Sergeant Kenny Ray confirmed a comment by Edgewood Mayor Charlie Prater Thursday morning that no criminal investigation had been opened on the department or any of its employees.

"There was a request for Rangers to be present from the city of Edgewood. Their one reason was a need for law enforcement in the community in the absence of a viable police department," Ray said.

Askew, however, said it was indicated to him Thursday morning that the Rangers were there for protection of city employees while officers were made to turn in city-owned equipment and remove personal items.

"If they bring us in and tell us we’re having money problems and so we need to shut down the department for four days, what do they think we’re going to do? Throw a fit and start hurting people?" he said.

"We all passed psychological inventories and background checks," Askew added.

"My officers were treated like criminals," Askew said. "They didn’t even have rides home. They felt very humiliated."

A letter presented to each officer from the city office informed them of the decision to suspend operations. The letter also outlined procedures for the surrender of city-owned property, vehicles and firearms, the removal of personal belongings and the surrender of passwords or pass codes to city computers.

Prater said mayor pro-tem James McEnturff did accompany the officers as they turned in property and took personal belongings out of the police office.

"We let them go in and get personal property. Some of them got their things and others left some of their personal property there," Prater said.

The department’s permanent fate may be decided at a city council meeting Monday at 9 a.m.

"The police department is still part of the city of Edgewood. It may be up and running again Monday," Prater said.

Askew, though, expressed doubts about the department’s future if, he said, budget constraints are the real problem.

He said the department still has over 26 percent of its current budget intact with just over two months remaining in the fiscal year.

"We have been told the cost of gas and other things is fueling this (decision). We cut down expenses, but not so much that we couldn’t do the job we were sworn to do," Askew said.

The only hint that something of a cutback was in the works was a request by Prater for Askew to come up with three model budgets for the next fiscal year, Askew said.

Those proposed budgets were to be based on different configurations of personnel, one with the current staff and the other two with cuts, he explained.

Now, Askew said, he is being asked to create a budget proposal over the weekend to present at the council meeting.

"I was told I needed ‘to justify our existence’…but I have information databases on the city computer in my office, which I now cannot access," Askew said. "I didn’t keep that info on my computer at home."

"I can’t be for sure that number is correct or if it includes outstanding expenses, any items on the books like comp time that will have to be paid or used," Prater said about Askew’s comment on the current police department budget.

The decision to shut down the department until Monday, which Prater said he made after consulting with the city’s attorney, was to allow time to see if and how the department can continue operating not just the remainder of this budget year, but next year as well.

"You don’t wait until the new fiscal year begins to get into the next budget…it’s not just about this year, it’s a lot about what is to come in the future," he said.

The department and its employees are not the only thing now thrown into limbo, Askew said.

Askew said officer Robert Dearing was forced to turn over the key to the department’s evidence room, but that no hand receipt for the key and the room’s contents had been issued.

"The chain of evidence (custody) has been broken and that endangers every pending and current case associated with anything in that room," he said.

He went on to say that the department had several cases it was working on including allegations of injury to a child or child sexual assault.

Prater said the key was turned over to the city, but did not indicate whether a hand receipt was produced for it.

Askew also said he felt the presence of an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agent to inventory weapons was unnecessary and further an embarrassment because records of all weapons were already with the city office.

Prater defended the decision to bring in an ATF official, saying three weapons in the city’s inventory were registered with the agency.

The department shutdown also affected community service workers, whom Askew said had to be turned away when they showed up Thursday morning.

In addition, the department had recently received approval to conduct training courses in some areas of officer certification.

"We had a conceal-and-carry (weapon) class scheduled for Aug. 2 that would have brought in $825," Askew said.

If the Edgewood Police Department is given a new lease on life Monday, one big question will still remain: Will any of the current staff return?

He said Thursday’s proceedings were especially hurtful because of the close-knitted nature of the employees and with people in the community.

"This isn’t Dallas. This is Edgewood. We’re like a family. We eat together. We have holidays and birthdays together…We try to get along with everybody in town, but they know we still enforce laws," Askew said.

"I don’t know what the reality is," he said about the city’s decision. "But the decision to treat my officers like criminals was poor and inexcusable."