# Texas police department ordered to disband

> A small-town police force that arrested a mother for posting about contaminated water lost its license after failing basic standards.
- Title: Texas police department ordered to disband · New York Post
- Summary: A small-town police force that arrested a mother for posting about contaminated water lost its license after failing basic standards. Speaking up about…
- Keywords: trinidad texas, trinidad police department, jennifer combs, water contamination, arrest, facebook post, police misconduct, texas commission on law enforcement, police department disbanded, henderson county, charles gregory, news
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/us-news/texas-police-department-that-arrested-mom-over-dirty-water-facebook-post-ordered-to-disband-by-state
- Published: 2026-09-16T05:15:09+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: trinidad texas, trinidad police department, jennifer combs, water contamination, arrest, facebook post, police misconduct, texas commission on law enforcement, police department disbanded, henderson county, charles gregory, news
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Speaking up about public health concerns should never result in arrest, and state oversight can hold even small police departments accountable.