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TCOLE Confirms Many People Improperly Licensed to be Peace Officers, but Still Fails to Take Action

TCOLE Confirms Many People Improperly Licensed to be Peace Officers, but Still Fails to Take Action

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The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) has confirmed time and time again, there are people holding Peace Officer licenses in Texas without properly approved training.

They even released information on multiple occasions confirming this issue. However, rather than performing their legally obligated duty under Texas Occupational Code 1701.501, they appear to have harbored those with improper licensing.

They have, in a way, become (at least in appearance) an accomplice to the act. Specifically involved are two Section Chiefs for TCOLE. The first is Deputy Chief Michael Antu and he oversees the Special Services Division and the Enforcement Unit for TCOLE. The other is Deputy Chief Cullen Grissom and he oversees the Credentialing Section of TCOLE.

The law specifies actions shall be taken against license holders. This is not a subjective topic, but a mandatory legal requirement. Here is the law:

Sec. 1701.501.  DISCIPLINARY ACTION.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), the commission shall revoke or suspend a license, place on probation a person whose license has been suspended, or reprimand a license holder for a violation of:(1)  this chapter;(2)  the reporting requirements provided by Articles 2.132 and 2.134, Code of Criminal Procedure; or(3)  a commission rule.(b)  The commission may establish procedures for the revocation of a license issued under this chapter.(c)  The commission by rule may adopt other necessary enforcement procedures.(d)  The commission may revoke a license issued under this chapter to an officer elected under the Texas Constitution only if the officer is convicted of:(1)  a felony; or(2)  a criminal offense directly involving the person's duties as an officer.

We have already published many stories on the Dallas Security Force Academy over the past few years. The answers we have initially published are generally unchanged.

The academy was never a legitimate academy prior to August 3, 1983. TCOLE even acknowledges the academy not to be recognized or valid for training prior to August 3, 1983, but they do not take any actions on those who have claimed the school and made a career policing in Texas. Some of those individuals are receiving retirements paid for by the Citizens of Texas through tax dollars.

That is correct, the Citizens of Texas are paying retirements for more than a handful of improperly licensed peace officers in Texas.

Here are more than a few examples:

DAVID W ANDREWS is a current Peace Officer with the City of Rockwall. He has been there since 2001. He claims graduation from the Dallas Security Force Academy on or about March 22, 1983. Mr. Andrews did not attend a proper school, as required by Texas Legislation at the time. TCOLE has yet to meet its obligation under the law.

MARY E. BEAVER is a current Dallas County Hospital District peace officer. She claims graduation from the Dallas Security Force on or about February 1, 1983. She attended the school when it was not approved by TCOLE. She is still an active peace officer in the State of Texas.

CURTIS E. COBURN JR is a retired peace officer. He retired from the City of Plano after attending Dallas Security Force Academy before it was properly approved by TCOLE. He claimed graduation on March 22, 1983.

MICHAEL L. DUNLAP worked extensively with the City of Dallas Marshall’s Office until 2015. He attended the unaccredited Dallas Security Force Academy and graduated on or about August 10, 1983.

CHRISTOPHER EATMON like Dunlap (above) is working for the City of Dallas Marshall’s Office without attending a proper academy. He will probably receive a retirement from the City of Dallas in the near future. This is all complements of attending the unapproved school of Dallas Security Force and graduating on or about August 12, 1983.

PAUL T. GORDON appears to have attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy and graduated on or about August 10, 1981. He also seemed to have extensive time in East Texas and stopped his law enforcement career in 2015. Some of the agencies listed for Gordon seem to have crossover to a Police Chief in the City of Kyle by the name of Jeffrey B Barnett or Jeff Barnett.

JUDITH R. GRANADO is a current City of Garland employee. She seems to still be working for the City of Garland’s Marshal’s Office. She also attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy and graduated on or about August 10, 1983.

CYNTHIA C. GREIMAN seems to have retired from the City of Duncanville and may be receiving a retirement check for her unapproved academy time at the Dallas Security Force where she appears to have graduated on or about July 13, 1982.

CHARLES C. GURLEY seems potentially retired from the City of Athens and also attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy with a graduation date on or about September 18, 1981.

GLENN W. JOHNSON seems to have worked at various agencies with his unapproved academy training with the Dallas Security Force Academy. He appears to have graduated on or about December 9, 1981. His last employer of over ten years was the Dallas Independent School District; which lasted until 2018.

JANICE M. JONES seems to have retired from the City of Fort Worth after starting her peace officer career with the unapproved academy of Dallas Security Force. She appears to have a graduation date on or about March 22, 1983. Her last year in law enforcement appears to be 2015.

KENNETH R. LEE, courtesy of an unapproved graduation on or about December 9, 1981 from the Dallas Security Force Academy, is currently employer by the Tarrant County College District Police Department.

MILTON M. MAGBEE is currently a Fire Marshal for Dallas County and attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy with a graduation date on or about August 10, 1983.

DAVID R. MAYNE is currently a City of Rowlett peace officer and graduated from the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy on or about August 10, 1983.

RODNEY C. MCCRARY seems to have retired from the City of Plano by way of the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy. He has a graduation date on or about July 13, 1982.

DONALD D. MCFARLAND appears to have some time with the Texas Department of Public Safety; however, we are unable to validate if he ever attended the Trooper Academy. The records only show the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy which has a graduation date on or about July 13, 1982. If McFarland did not attend a Trooper Academy then he may be receiving a retirement from the City of Fort Worth by way of the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy.

DAVID W. NABORS is retired from the City of Rowlett after attending the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy. He graduated on or about March 22, 1983. He retired last year in 2020.

LAWRENCE SANDOVAL seems to have retired from the Dallas Marshall’s Office, but not until after he completed 26 years as a peace officer and 13 concurrent years as a telecommunications operator. The license isn’t needed to perform telecommunications if one holds a valid peace officer license. Many times, people obtain the second license to cover the first. Sandoval graduated from the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy on or about March 19, 1982.

GLEN L. SHELINBARGER is currently employed by the Mansfield ISD Police. Prior to such time he appears to have retired from the City of Arlington. He is said to have graduated from an unknown school on or about November 23, 1982. All that is listed on the document is “#8” under “Name of Academy or School.” Such document is most likely invalid too.

RONALD THOMAS appears to be retired from the Dallas Marshal’s Office after graduating from the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy on or about March 19, 1982.

JOE C. TYRA appears to have retired from Highland Park Department of Public Safety and then continued his career with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. He graduated from the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy on or about July 14, 1982.

CHRISTOPHER M. VINSON appears to have retired from the Highland Park Department of Public Safety in 2015. He attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy on or about November 23, 1982.

SHERMAN W. WILLIAMS is still working in law enforcement today. He is currently employed by Methodist Health Systems Police Department. He may have a City of DeSoto retirement. He attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy and graduated on or about November 23, 1982.

CLEMMON S. WILSON graduated from the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy on or about August 10, 1983. He went on to retire form the Dallas City Marshal’s Office in 2019.

PATRICK C. YOUNG seems to have retired from the City of Duncanville in 2008. He attended the unapproved Dallas Security Force Academy and graduated on or about December 10, 1981.

The list only contains names of those that graduated before September 1983, this is the date before the school was recognized by TCOLE, as indicated in the TCOLE Meeting Minutes below:

The meeting minute is the binding document which clearly identifies when a school is approved. It should be noted, that after August 3, 1983 and in the Legislation effective in September 1983 it was mandated that all people from September 1983 through present be required to pass a state licensing examination from TCOLE before being considered a permanent licensed peace officer in Texas, at that time.

Also, one must attend the school after it is approved. This means those that graduated in August of 1983 still graduated from an unapproved academy. It was not approved before they attended.

We have another story showing potential mail fraud related to Dallas Security Force for those which require licensing exams, but may not have actually taken the state required examination.

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