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Galveston County now has a new Sheriff. Jimmy Fullen officially took office on New Year's Day, despite earlier questions about his peace officer's license. There were some concerns that it might be revoked by the State.
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) had alleged that Fullen had falsified documents, and they recommended that Fullen's peace officer's license be revoked. TCOLE said in a letter, "[Fullen] omitted, failed to disclose, or provided false or untruthful information related to job experience, having been disciplined at work, having been fired or asked to resign from a place of employment, having been accused of discrimination, having been the subject of a written complaint at work, having failed to make or been late on a court-ordered payment, having been part of a civil lawsuit, and failing to disclose two arrests."
County Judge Mark Henry says those concerns have been put to bed and, as far as he is aware, Fullen's mistakes on the documents were "relatively minor." He told KTRH, "I'm told by the Sheriff that he had received a letter from TCOLE, or maybe it was a phone call, saying they're not going to pursue this. That's about as definitive as you can get."
Henry also said that Fullen is already hard at work staffing up the Sheriff's department. It had previously been reported that as many as 21 deputies had left the department following Fullen's election on November 5th, but Henry says those positions have already been filled.
He said, "We've had vacancies, some for as many as ten years, that he's said he's got filled already. It looks to me like there is more than an eager law enforcement workforce that is ready to go to work for Jimmy Fullen."
At the time of publication, Sheriff Fullen and his campaign had not responded to a request for comment. The TCOLE could not be reached for comment.