Hawkins resident Glyndia Lane speaks during a Hawkins City Council meeting Tuesday. (Jordan Green/Longview News-Journal Photo)

HAWKINS — The Hawkins City Council voted this week to keep its police department in operation following a tumultuous meeting in which some residents voiced support for the department while others said it is politically charged and can’t be trusted.

Mayor Deb Rushing was the only member of the council who voted Tuesday to disband the department after residents spoke for almost two hours about the proposal to shutter it until a new chief can be hired.

Paul Holland resigned as chief Jan. 14, becoming the department’s third leader to resign in three years.

The police department has faced scrutiny from residents in the Wood County city following a Nov. 22 altercation during a council meeting between police officer David “Dave” Morris and resident Todd Eddington.

City Utilities Director Mike Maberry was arrested Jan. 14 for attempting to break up the altercation, and arrest warrants have been issued for Eddington, though they are reported to be for unrelated charges.

Dozens of people filled the Hawkins Community Center for Tuesday’s meeting. Audience members clapped and cheered loudly as people sharing their views spoke. While some residents commended the police department and urged council members to keep it open, others derided the department’s perceived unprofessionalism and bias.

Rushing, an outspoken critic of the police department and its now-former chief, said council members have developed personal relationships with police officers and that officers have abused the rights of residents. Maberry claimed his arrest was retaliatory in nature, and residents during Tuesday’s meeting decried a search warrant officers executed on Eddington’s home that day.

“We can’t undo what has been done. Once we as a town crossed over that line of allowing police departments to mix with politics, it’s too much,” Rushing said. “It’s gone too far. I cannot guarantee partiality and fairness from our police department.”

Dan Spence said his wife was injured during the Nov. 22 altercation but that Hawkins police have not taken a report on the matter. Spence said Morris shoved Eddington toward his wife, who was seated, causing her shoulder to hit a brass door knob.

“The officer attacked a Hawkins citizen for 1,000% no reason,” Spence said, referring to Eddington.

Chuck Richoz, a former council member, said disbanding the police department would result in an increase in crime in Hawkins and that the Wood County Sheriff’s Office is too far away to respond to calls in a timely manner. He also said school zones would be less safe because police officers wouldn’t be patrolling them.

“There would be no school zone policing, increasing our chances of something bad happening to our children,” Richoz said.

Rodger Walker-Wheatley also said the city needs police officers patrolling school zones and that the community needs officers who are familiar with its layout and its residents. He suggested that the department dismiss or reprimand employees who don’t do their jobs properly rather than disbanding the department.

Sharonda Harguess questioned why Hawkins Police Department Detective Dale Lundberg has been questioning residents about the Nov. 22 altercation when Holland said the Texas Rangers were handling the matter.

Harguess thanked Eddington, saying he’s the reason such a large crowd turned out for Tuesday’s meeting.

Eddington maintains a Facebook page called “The Crooked Wood County Justice System Part III,” where he often posts criticisms of public officials and discusses public records.

The News-Journal worked to obtain Eddington’s arrest warrants Wednesday, but Hawkins Police Department Lt. Eric Tuma declined to provide them, saying they are part of an active investigation. As of Wednesday evening, Eddington had not been arrested, and no online court records had been generated in connection with the case.

Eddington told the News-Journal that he’s been charged in connection with posting the phone numbers of Place 3 Alderman Eric Maloy and Place 4 Alderwoman Eleta Taylor on his Facebook page. Under Texas law, a person commits a crime by posting the phone number or home address of an elected official if the person did so with the intent to cause the person harm in retaliation for his or her public service.

Tory Paige, a close friend of Eddington’s, accused council members of facilitating Eddington’s arrest.

“Is it because your phone number was posted publicly, or is this because he was put in a headlock by one of your cops at the last meeting?” she asked. “Why does he deserve to go to jail? What has he done but tell the truth? … If you have a problem with him, it’s because you’re dirty, and you know it.”

Place 2 Alderwoman Clara Kay said she wants the community to experience “peace, joy, love and happiness” and that she believes the city should maintain its department.

“We have got to work together,” she said.

Geran Riddlespurger-Howe said she is “fearful” of Hawkins’ police officers because “they are not protecting us.”

“I have a child who is special needs as an adult,” she said. “He looks like an adult, but if you were to talk to him in person, you would not necessarily know that, and I’m fearful of having these officers come up and not know what’s going on, because they’ve not proven themselves. So, while I respect the fact that we likely need a police force, the one we have blows.”

Maberry, the city utilities director, vented his frustrations with the police department’s handling of his arrest Jan. 17 at city hall. He said officers treated him like a “common criminal.” He said he and his family members and friends are worried about retaliation from the department.

Maloy said he had nothing to do with anyone being arrested and that Maberry should not have gotten involved in the altercation. Maloy also said: “None of us would be here under this situation right now if we did not have an internet tycoon that’s been posting all kinds of things for numerous years.”

Maloy said the police department is not perfect but is doing a good job.

“This town is doing a very good job for not having a lot of crime,” he said. “And everybody says, ‘We don’t have no crime. No one’s breaking the law.’ The reason why we don’t have crime is because everybody’s afraid to come here to do crime.” A number of people in the audience signaled their disagreement.

Rushing said the department lacks an officer who is qualified to be chief, including Tuma, who previously served as interim chief.

Amber Tuma, Tuma’s wife, said her husband is qualified to be chief, however. She also said allegations that he is “politically charged” are “ridiculous.”

Finally, the council voted to keep the department intact. Tuma will oversee department operations. The council will vote whether to appoint him as interim chief.