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| James Blackmon |
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE), responsible for regulating standards and education for law enforcement personnel, has opened an investigation involving Buckholts Police Chief James Blackmon.
While the investigation is underway, Blackmon is tucked away inside the Milam County Jail, facing charges of tampering with government documents, which also leaves his job vacant.
According to investigators, Blackmon was handing out badges to people who didn't work for the department.
"What we're alleging is the falsification of some government documents that was sent to us," says TCLEOSE Executive Director Kim Vickers.
Investigators say Blackmon gave 8 people the authority, including I-D's and badges, from the Buckholts Police Department without any background screening.
"He submitted to us licensing documents giving appointments to people, and declaring that all steps had been done to legally appoint them, and that they were full time paid employees," says Vickers.
Following an anonymous phone call, TCLEOSE performed an audit of the department and found that none of the steps that are required by law had been done, even after Blackmon swore they had.
According to Blackmon's service record, he's worked in 22 different Texas cities and compiled over a thousand hours of continuing education.
TCLEOSE investigators say Blackmon is very familiar with the process of licensing full-time officers. He followed procedure with the two full-time officers already working at the department.
Right now, investigators are trying to determine what those eight people were doing that needed this authority.
"I have nothing to indicate one way or the other what benefit they may have gained from it," says Vickers.
In addition to being jailed, Blackmon’s license to be a peace officer in Texas is being revoked. As of this writing, Buckholts is without a police chief.
The charge of tampering with government documents is a Class A misdemeanor.
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