Indicted Plainview Officer Returns to Work Despite Charge
By: Nick Ochsner
Updated: December 4, 2012
Plainview Police Cpt. Derrick McPherson returned to work Monday despite his felony indictment last week for assaulting a fellow police officer while on duty in July.
McPherson allegedly hit Ofc. Amos Rodriguez in the head while the two worked a security detail when Gov. Rick Perry visited Plainview on July 23.
A grand jury in Hale County indicted McPherson on one count of assaulting a police officer last Thursday.
Plainview Police Chief William Mull told KAMC McPherson was allowed to use a personal vacation day on Friday but that he planned to place him on administrative leave Monday.
But McPherson returned to work on Monday and, according to Mull, spent the day 'wrapping things up,' on cases he was working on.
A copy of the official PPD policy obtained by KAMC says, though, that any officer charged with a felony crime is to be placed on administrative leave.
Mull said McPherson has been taken off any police duties but did not specify what that meant.
McPherson also booked himself into jail on Monday and was immediately released on a $10,000 bond. He immediately went right back to work at the police department.
Plainview Mayor Wendell Dunlap met with the Plainview City Manager late Monday afternoon. Dunlap refused to tell KAMC about the outcome of the meeting but did say he would release a statement on behalf of the city Tuesday.
Council members say they've been kept in the dark about this investigation.
"Well the first I knew, Nick, was when you called me a few days ago asking for information," Councilman Dr. Charles Starnes said Monday night. "It was a total surprise. -8
Starnes said he hoped to get more information at the council's Thursday work session.
"Normally we would hear about things like this in advance but, for some reason, we just heard nothing," Dr. Starnes said.
McPherson allegedly hit Ofc. Amos Rodriguez in the head while the two worked a security detail when Gov. Rick Perry visited Plainview on July 23.
A grand jury in Hale County indicted McPherson on one count of assaulting a police officer last Thursday.
Plainview Police Chief William Mull told KAMC McPherson was allowed to use a personal vacation day on Friday but that he planned to place him on administrative leave Monday.
But McPherson returned to work on Monday and, according to Mull, spent the day 'wrapping things up,' on cases he was working on.
A copy of the official PPD policy obtained by KAMC says, though, that any officer charged with a felony crime is to be placed on administrative leave.
Mull said McPherson has been taken off any police duties but did not specify what that meant.
McPherson also booked himself into jail on Monday and was immediately released on a $10,000 bond. He immediately went right back to work at the police department.
Plainview Mayor Wendell Dunlap met with the Plainview City Manager late Monday afternoon. Dunlap refused to tell KAMC about the outcome of the meeting but did say he would release a statement on behalf of the city Tuesday.
Council members say they've been kept in the dark about this investigation.
"Well the first I knew, Nick, was when you called me a few days ago asking for information," Councilman Dr. Charles Starnes said Monday night. "It was a total surprise. -8
Starnes said he hoped to get more information at the council's Thursday work session.
"Normally we would hear about things like this in advance but, for some reason, we just heard nothing," Dr. Starnes said.
