If a fire fighter or police officer is indicted or charged with certain misdemeanors, the department head may temporarily suspend the person, must give written notice, and may later bring civil service charges or order an indefinite suspension in some cases.
Sec. 143.056. PROCEDURES AFTER FELONY INDICTMENT OR MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT. (a) If a fire fighter or police officer is indicted for a felony or officially charged with the commission of a Class A or B misdemeanor, the department head may temporarily suspend the person with or without pay for a period not to exceed 30 days after the date of final disposition of the specified felony indictment or misdemeanor complaint. (b) The department head shall notify the suspended fire fighter or police officer in writing that the person is being temporarily suspended for a specific period with or without pay and that the temporary suspension is not intended to reflect an opinion on the merits of the indictment or complaint. (c) If the action directly related to the felony indictment or misdemeanor complaint occurred or was discovered on or after the 180th day before the date of the indictment or complaint, the department head may, within 30 days after the date of final disposition of the indictment or complaint, bring a charge against the fire fighter or police officer for a violation of civil service rules. (d) A fire fighter or police officer indicted for a felony or officially charged with the commission of a Class A or B misdemeanor who has also been charged by the department head with civil service violations directly related to the indictment or complaint may delay the civil service hearing for not more than 30 days after the date of the final disposition of the indictment or complaint. (e) If the department head temporarily suspends a fire fighter or police officer under this section and the fire fighter or police officer is not found guilty of the indictment or complaint in a court of competent jurisdiction, the fire fighter or police officer may appeal to the commission or to a hearing examiner for recovery of back pay. The commission or hearing examiner may award all or part of the back pay or reject the appeal. (f) Acquittal or dismissal of an indictment or a complaint does not mean that a fire fighter or police officer has not violated civil service rules and does not negate the charges that may have been or may be brought against the fire fighter or police officer by the department head. (g) Conviction of a felony is cause for dismissal, and conviction of a Class A or B misdemeanor may be cause for disciplinary action or indefinite suspension. (h) The department head may order an indefinite suspension based on an act classified as a felony or a Class A or B misdemeanor after the 180-day period following the date of the discovery of the act by the department if the department head considers delay to be necessary to protect a criminal investigation of the person's conduct. If the department head intends to order an indefinite suspension after the 180-day period, the department head must file with the attorney general a statement describing the criminal investigation and its objectives within 180 days after the date the act complained of occurred. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.