Mom arrested for water warning

Jennifer Combs was jailed overnight in May after posting on Facebook about bacteria in Trinidad's water that had hospitalized residents. Police charged her with felony false alarm, claiming her post created unnecessary panic.

City itself warned about the water

Trinidad's own government posted a notice weeks before Combs' arrest urging residents to boil their water to avoid harmful bacteria. Police chief Charles Gregory still defended the arrest as "cut and dry."

Journalist also arrested for protest

Citizen journalist Winston Noles was arrested for misdemeanor disorderly conduct after displaying a sign critical of police outside city hall. Both his and Combs' charges were later dropped.

State investigation finds major failures

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement found the department lacked 18 required policies including use of force and active shooter protocols. The agency determined the department provided no "public benefit to the community."

“unable to provide evidence that the agency provides public benefit to the community”

Police chief resigns, judge questions arrest

Charles Gregory resigned in June despite claiming he had nothing to hide. The judge who approved Combs' search warrant later wrote a scathing letter questioning the accuracy and reliability of information officers presented.

Department ordered to disband

Texas revoked Trinidad's police license on September 9, ordering the five-officer department to shut down by Friday. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office will handle law enforcement for the town of 800 people.

Combs vindicated by state findings

Environmental regulators confirmed the water contamination Combs had warned about. She wrote that citizens who questioned the department were "dismissed, attacked and in my case arrested" before the state confirmed it failed minimum standards.

“We were never the problem. We were exposing it.”