When Elyssa Cline was appointed Records Supervisor at the New Braunfels Police Department in 2024, her promotion was met with quiet concern and cautious optimism. Though chosen unanimously by a three-member panel including Captain Stephen Hanna, HR Director Becca Miears, and Administrative Supervisor Sabrina Gonzalez, the selection came with significant reservations—ones that, in hindsight, foretold everything that followed.

In the months after Cline assumed her supervisory role, it was alleged the Records Division imploded. Employees resigned or filed formal complaints. Allegations were made that morale plummeted. Anonymous EthicsPoint reports described allegations of surveillance, bullying, and retaliation. And eventually, the department opened an internal affairs investigation that confirmed many of the claims.

Cline was placed on administrative leave and did not return.

But her departure wasn’t the whole story. What the investigation also revealed was that Cline, while responsible for her actions, was placed in a no-win position by those who promoted her, defended her, and then stood by as the damage unfolded. And at the center of it all was Captain Stephen Hanna.

A Promotion With Red Flags

At the time of her promotion, concerns were raised from multiple directions.

HR Director Becca Miears, who sat on the interview board, later told investigators that although the decision to promote Cline was unanimous, it came “not without some apprehension.” Miears specifically cited Cline’s lack of soft skills as a likely stumbling block.

She was not alone. Another member of the department’s leadership team warned that Cline’s rigid personality could make her ill-suited for supervision. Even Chief of Police Keith Lane reportedly voiced concern when the final decision was relayed to him.

Yet Captain Hanna proceeded anyway.

“Captain Hanna said that he was sure about his decision,” the internal affairs report states, “and that Chief Lane backed his decision” after expressing initial concerns.

Cline’s qualifications included years of service with NBPD and a working knowledge of key systems like Spillman and Guardian Tracking. She had recently completed the City of New Braunfels Leadership Academy. But no formal mentorship plan was established. No steps were taken to mitigate known risks. And within weeks of her appointment, the fractures started to appear.

“She’s in Total Control of the Narrative”

According to employees, the environment in Records quickly turned toxic.

“I don’t trust going to Capt. Hanna because Elyssa constantly writes the narrative for us,” Records Clerk Hannah Lohse wrote in her resignation letter. “She’s in total control of what is said to us and what goes out from us. Capt. Hanna used to come in and say hi or see how we were doing… In the last several months, this has completely stopped. He only goes to Elyssa.”

Lohse wasn’t alone. Multiple employees cited an atmosphere of micromanagement, fear of retaliation, and constant surveillance.

Cline began using the department’s internal camera system to monitor staff. Hanna later admitted that he authorized this use, at least initially. He claimed it was intended to verify performance issues with specific employees, but it quickly spiraled.

“Captain Hanna told me that he believed she was abusing the camera system,” the IA investigator wrote, noting that he gave Cline a “cease and desist” order just before she was placed on leave.

HR Knew. Command Knew. Nothing Happened.

Even as complaints poured in, little was done to intervene.

Cline refused to cooperate with internal departments, once instructing HR to submit all requests through the Open Records process.

“There was no real attempt at cooperation,” said HR Director Becca Miears. “It was delivered more as a ‘deal with it’ situation.”

She described Cline’s conduct as hostile rather than collaborative. HR and Legal were among several departments that Cline reportedly “burned bridges” with—others included Finance and Municipal Court.

Despite these escalating concerns, Hanna told investigators that he continued to defend her in front of staff.

“He said he would back Elyssa’s decisions even if it was not what he would do,” the report states.

He acknowledged that only one employee—Lohse—approached him privately about Cline’s behavior. The rest stayed silent, fearing retaliation. Hanna admitted he expected her to fail sometimes, but offered no coaching, support, or correction.

There was also no formal mentorship program. HR declined to establish one, with HR official Lindsey Cox reportedly saying that Cline only accepted feedback from Hanna or Chief Lane—and disregarded the rest.

A Supervisor Without a Safety Net

Elyssa Cline’s actions were wrong. The internal investigation found that she created a hostile work environment, mishandled employee discipline, and weaponized surveillance tools against her staff.

But her failure was not just personal — it was predictable.

Cline was promoted despite known concerns about her rigidity, communication, and interpersonal volatility. She was placed in charge of a sensitive civilian-facing unit with no real leadership experience, no mentorship, and no system of accountability. Early complaints were brushed aside. Internal departments raised alarms. Employees quit. Yet she remained empowered.

“He said he expected her to fail,” the report says of Captain Hanna.

But no steps were taken to prevent those failures from spreading.

This was not just a personality conflict. It was a case study in what happens when a supervisor is handed authority without support, and when command staff chooses loyalty over leadership.

Who’s at Fault?

The internal affairs investigation concluded that Records Supervisor Elyssa Cline violated city policy, including rules related to workplace harassment and supervisory conduct. Her employment was subsequently separated following a period of administrative leave.

Records and HR documents show that concerns about Cline’s leadership style and communication approach were discussed prior to her promotion. HR Director Becca Miears stated that while the selection panel voted unanimously to promote Cline, there were early reservations regarding her interpersonal management skills. Similar concerns were reportedly raised by Chief Lane at the time of her selection.

Following her promotion, multiple employees reported experiencing a change in work culture, citing increased oversight, formal disciplinary actions, and use of surveillance tools within the Records Division. Some resigned or requested transfers. Internal complaints were submitted through HR and the EthicsPoint reporting system. The internal affairs investigation ultimately sustained findings related to harassment and workplace hostility.

Captain Steve Hanna, who supervised Cline, acknowledged that he anticipated a learning curve and expected Cline to develop her management approach over time. No mentorship program was formally established, and there is no documentation of progressive discipline or corrective intervention prior to the decision to place Cline on leave.

Cline’s promotion and subsequent conduct occurred in the absence of structured leadership development or coaching. According to statements from both HR and command staff, no remediation plan was pursued, and employee concerns escalated over time. While Cline was held accountable for the conduct cited in the IA report, no disciplinary action was taken against her supervisors or other city personnel involved in the decision-making process.

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