A former FBI agent has been hired to investigate the employment practices of two Dallas County constables.
County commissioners narrowly voted Tuesday to hire Denny Defenbaugh and Associates to investigate Constables Jaime Cortes and Derick Evans, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The commissioners said deputy constables in Precincts 1 and 5 have complained about misconduct, such as firing employees who have reported that employees were forced to work for no pay, the newspaper reported.
Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield said District Attorney Craig Watkins has not moved on the allegations, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Mayfield, Commissioner Maurine Dickey and County Judge Jim Foster voted to hire Defenbaugh.
But Commissioners Mike Cantrell and John Wiley Price said such investigations should be conducted by Watkins. Cantrell called on the district attorney to appoint a special prosecutor, the Dallas Morning News reported. And Price said the county can't do much with its own investigation.
It was not clear when the contract with Defenbaugh would be signed. Commissioners don't know if their legal adviser -- Bob Schell, who works for the district attorney -- can review it.
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