A small police department in Trinidad, Texas, has been ordered to disband after state authorities determined it failed to demonstrate any tangible benefit to the community. The decision follows an investigation triggered by the arrest of a local resident who raised concerns on social media about the town’s water quality.

In May, Jennifer Combs spent a night in jail after posting on Facebook that people were being hospitalized due to bacteria-contaminated water in Trinidad, a municipality in Henderson County located approximately 75 miles southeast of Dallas. The then-police chief, Charles Gregory, defended the arrest by citing a now-dropped felony charge of making a false report or alarm, asserting that Combs’s claims were unfounded and had caused unnecessary fear in the community. The following day, a supporter of Combs was also arrested for displaying a sign reading “fuck bad cops” outside city hall; this misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge was subsequently dismissed.

The arrests prompted an inquiry by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCLE), which found that the Trinidad police department did not meet minimum operational standards and failed to provide evidence of serving the public interest. In a letter dated September 9, TCLE notified Trinidad’s mayor, Dennis Haws, that the department’s license to operate had been revoked.

The investigation revealed multiple deficiencies within the department, including inadequate resources for officers—such as the absence of bulletproof vests and an evidence storage facility—as well as shortcomings in policies related to use of force, active shooter responses, vehicle pursuits, and professional conduct. Concurrently, a separate review by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality identified issues with the municipality’s water supply, which city officials have committed to addressing.

Mayor Haws acknowledged the order to disband the police force, describing it as unsurprising given years of neglect. He indicated that responsibilities will be transferred to the Henderson County sheriff’s office temporarily while the city seeks a long-term solution.

The Trinidad police department employed five full-time officers alongside several part-time personnel before its closure. Gregory resigned in June after a grand jury declined to indict Combs. Combs has since filed a wrongful arrest lawsuit against the city, alleging her detention was a retaliatory act linked to her public criticism of the water conditions.

Henderson County Judge Scott McKee stated he was provided with incomplete information by the police when petitioned to approve the arrest warrant for Combs, suggesting a lack of transparency from the department.

Following the decision to disband the department, Combs posted on social media that residents who questioned the police had been dismissed, attacked, or arrested, emphasizing that the state regulator had confirmed the department’s failure to comply with even minimal standards. She asserted that she and other citizens were exposing problems rather than creating them.

Officials from the city and the former police department have not issued further comments on the matter.