So, we have wrote numerous stories on someone who is currently a Police Chief with the City of Kyle, Jeff Barnett. We have obtained many Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) records through the legal process of open records requests (ORR).

We still have the same questions:

• How was this career started? Properly?
• Why are there so many inconsistencies in employment claims and government records?
• What really happened with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
• Why are there no Camp County documents confirming Camp County Constable time under an elected Constable who has no licensure documents or employment history with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) for Camp County Precinct 1?
• Why does Mount Pleasant, Texas not have official records, as required by law, to confirm Interim Police Chief Time?

Here is the initial application for Camp County. Notice, it does not state to which agency within Camp County. It is missing the application date. It shows certification as a jailer. It shows a current enrollment of a peace officer program. It shows two active employments. It shows a friend who is also a notary used for an affidavit in March 1992, which is before the April 3, 1992 completion of a certified jailer course, at the same school, he is actively enrolled in a course load over the average amount of classes, and some of the courses are peace officer sequences which require higher contact hours.

We want to know, is this possible to do legally and properly?

Why are there no licensure documents in the TCOLE file? Here is the record retention requirement:

Why are there no records of Camp County Constable time? Here is the Texas Records Retention Law:

Why is there not any licensure information with TCOLE for Thomas “Whit” Barnett:

Again, these are required to maintain documents, so was Whit Barnett licensed properly? Records seem to indicate he was elected, and appointed, but it does not show him to be licensed. Here are the Appointments:

So, if we can find no record of Whit Barnett being properly licensed through TCOLE, and we have concerns about Jeff Barnett’s beginning of his career, is it possible the matters related to proper licensure are improper? TCOLE does not have Jeff Barnett’s licensure documents either. Both are required to be there, and there is an affidavit signed in March 1992, for (potential) use to begin a jailer program at the Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC). Would that document even be needed if there was proper admission into the NTCC peace officer program? Why would one need to attend a jailer program if he is actively in a peace officer program? Are people not curious to the validity? Could this be a matter were certification was issued improperly?

Well, we have Mount Pleasant’s application and personnel actions too, also received through ORR. Notice there is no personnel action for “interim chief,” or “commander,” as claimed to the City of Princeton. Mount Pleasant did have a page in city meeting minutes where “interim chief,” was listed in 2004, but there is no other document available.

There is no “official,” record of “interim chief,” we have asked for further clarification from Mount Pleasant on the matter. There was a need for “interim chief,” as there was a different chief when Jeff Barnett was hired and when he left the City. It is possible there may have been a moment to be “interim chief,” but it is not documented properly, as the law required. Here is the ORR for Mount Pleasant:

In review of the documents, what you will also notice is there was less than a year break in service, as indicated by response from Mount Pleasant, when we requested to see the new application for Jeff Barnett, as it relates to his time with the FBI:

A review of the City of Mount Pleasant Police Department website shows a break in service of Police Chief from July 2004 through December 2004 and there is one meeting minute provided to us for August 2004 showing Jeff Barnett as the “interim chief,” but there is no official action for the matter. There is no documentation provided to confirm an appointment and a removal of “interim chief,” which makes it unclear as to the length, duration, and proper approval for the role.

As one may see, we are unsure how “official,” the duties were for Jeff Barnett to be “interim chief,” of Mount Pleasant.

Below is the resume used for the City of Kyle Police Chief opportunity:

You will notice many points of concern:

• An application was made on 2/28/2011 after receiving a separation agreement on 1/27/2011
• Resume claims currently employed with the City of Princeton
• Resume claims “commander,” and “interim chief,” for Mount Pleasant, but no personnel actions for those roles.
• Resume claims Camp County Constable, but open records provides no validation to the claim.
• Resume claims an address of 11 months since time of application; however, it was longer and potentially a component of the reason a separation agreement occurred.
• Resume claims employment at Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) since 1995, but open records indicates only 2008-2009.
• Resume claims FBI time for over a year, yet Mount Pleasant confirms it to be less than a year.
• Resume claims the current (at the time) “interim police chief,” to be a detective and coworker.

Here is the separation agreement from the City of Princeton:

What you see is an agreement to turn in all property to the city and resign, effective 1/28/2011. You also see two separation documents submitted to TCOLE with two different dates. You see the TCOLE Personal Service Record with a May 2011 date from the City of Princeton. In review of the paperwork, it is impossible to properly have 5/2011 listed to TCOLE.

In review of City Meeting Minutes for the City of Kyle, it appears statements were made to the search committee and city counsel, which may not have been true, and misleading:

Here are the documents showing the new interim chief of the City of Princeton (after 1/28/2011):

Here is the proof to contradict the NTCC employment claim:

So, why are there so many conflicting government records? Or are the claims the conflict and the records are correct? These matters have been raised to the City of Kyle Ethics Compliance Officer through complaint:

Here is proof the City of Kyle Police Chief has used his officers for personal gain (an issue which may link to improper training):

We wonder if a proper background investigation was conducted, as required by TCOLE. It seems ORR has resulting in potential Texas Penal Code 37.10 matters.

It also seems, we do have TPIA documents to support our stories. We just haven’t shown them all, but now we have provided more. So, what questions would you have?