Posted on 03/22/2017 7:08:02 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
NORMANGEE, Texas (KTRK) -- After gunfire, a brief chase and negotiations by police radio, the police chief in Normangee, a small town north of College Station, has been arrested.
Charles Herford is charged with evading arrest and deadly conduct.
Deputies responded to his home in the 400 block of North 4th Street after a 911 call around 1:55 a.m. Texas Rangers said dispatchers spoke briefly to Herford's wife, but then the call dropped. When they called back, investigators said, the dispatcher heard two gunshots.
As deputies responded, they located Herford driving through the city in his police unit. They said he refused to pull over. According to DPS, there was a brief chase, but deputies lost Herford. Only later did they realize he ditched his police unit and walked a few blocks back to his home.
Around 5:30 a.m., deputies found Herford back at his home, but they said he wouldn't come out. They negotiated with him over his police radio for the next 90 minutes before he finally gave up peacefully.
Normangee Mayor Gary Dawkins described the situation as "very sad, not only for the city but him and his family." He said it is unclear if Herford's arrest will affect his employment, but Herford will likely be placed on some type of leave pending the resolution of the case.
Herford was booked at the Leon County Jail. His patrol vehicle is now in possession of the mayor.
"It's just crazy. This world's crazy," said Normangee resident Raymond Kennerly. He said he knows the chief, who he described as a "good guy".
Investigators are not saying what sparked the incident.
This is not the first time a Normangee police chief has had a run-in with the law. In 2013, then-Chief Joseph Ray Navarro was arrested in connection with a DPS drug investigation. Court documents indicated Navarro was looking up license plates for a drug dealer who was under investigation. Navarro took a plea bargain and was sentenced to two years probation.
Mayor Dawkins said Herford's arrest leaves only one part-time officer on the police force in Normangee, which could keep the force from patrolling the city of about 800 residents. Presently, calls for service will go through the Leon County Sheriff's Office.
Dawkins said city leaders will meet in emergency session later this week to discuss new policing options.
Yes.
So he was Chief of a department with one part time patrolman.
Rambo!
and a dog. He was a dog all the time.
4 violent crimes a year. A stolen ATV or farm equipment every couple weeks.
And he carries a Glock, Taser, police dog, rape whistle/kazoo, tactical vest, tactical pants.
Don't run the red light in his town buddy, or you'll face the wrath of a cop whose head doesn't reach the roof of his SUV.
Dang, I just drove through Normangee twice last Friday on the way to College Station and back! Not much to it.
I think if a dozen local guys started to wear the tactical clothing, and some vest with ‘civilian’ written across it...having morning breakfast in town at the cafe....he’d get all upset that they were infringing on his ‘image’.
There are a couple hundred towns across Texas with one-man Rambo cops.
Complications in the Rafe Holister case weighed heavily on Barney's mind.
Congratulations on, um, not being, um, beaten...I, guess? A 30 second Google search will validate the up to 40% cited. Apparently the older guys don’t batter their family at the same rate; only about double the rate of the general population. The facts are; about 10% of the general population experiences domestic violence while 25%-40% of cop families experience domestic violence. There’s obviously a problem. The causes and solutions are another topic of discussion. Glad you and your family weren’t one of the statistics but that doesn’t change the facts that many are.
A good friend is, aside from his paying job, a volunteer firefighter in Humble, TX. He is a good guy.
He has saved several lives and has seen a lot of dead people in various states, as in some are intact and some are not.
It seems like his pot use has increased. In fact he doesn’t even smoke pot anymore. He vapes concentrated stuff that comes from Colorado. It is very strong, even for a grown up.
I wonder if it is a coping mechanism.
Many years ago that was a favorite here on FR. Listening to the tape brings back memories.
Its very common with first responders
Well, Ernest T Bass was a problem
“Well, Ernest T Bass was a problem”
That boy was a nut.
Old Andy was politically correct, he had no idea how to Nip it in the bud!
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