texas

Ex-Blue Mound Police Chief Files Whistleblower Lawsuit

Former chief says he was fired for trying to expose corruption

Former Blue Mound Police Chief Barry Hinkle claims in a whistleblower lawsuit that he was fired for trying to expose corruption in the city.

In the lawsuit filed last week in Tarrant County District Court, Hinkle claimed his ouster came after he told the state environmental agency that dead birds were found in a city water storage tank. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigated and cited the city for poor maintenance, the lawsuit said.

Hinkle also said he was fired because he sought to expose alleged payments to city officials from an insurance consultant trying to get a city contract.

Hinkle was fired in November 2016 after serving more than two years as chief.

Blue Mound is a town of about 2,500 in Tarrant County, just east of Saginaw.

Hinkle claims in the suit that he has an audio recording of City Secretary Kathryn Sanchez and Mayor Pro-Tem Linda Copeland discussing an insurance contract before a city council meeting in August 2015.

“The conversation related to money received by the city secretary and the fact that they were not going to tell ‘them’ about the money,” the lawsuit said.

Reached by telephone at city hall, Sanchez said, “I can assure you I’m as honest as they get.”

She said the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office investigated the allegations and found nothing.

“It dragged on for over a year with me,” she said.

Samantha Jordan, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, confirmed that her office investigated the allegations and closed the case without filing any charges.

Mayor Alan Hooks and Mayor Pro-Tem Copeland could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit.

Sanchez said she spoke with them and they declined to comment.

Hinkle’s attorney, Lance Wyatt of Southlake, did not return an email seeking comment.

Contact Us