Dallas 160th Civil District Court Judge Jim Jordan temporarily removed Ellis County Pct. 4 Constable Mike Jones from office Wednesday and appointed retired Dallas County Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Howard as interim constable.
The Ellis County District Attorney’s Office brought a civil suit against Jones seeking his removal from office after he was indicted in May 2016 on allegations of abuse of official capacity in February 2017 for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair and alleged abuse of official capacity. He was also accused of misuse of official information and obstruction or retaliation in August 2017.
Court records indicate those criminal cases are still pending in Ellis County.
A jury trial to permanently remove Jones from office is currently set for March 12.
Howard, began his law enforcement career as a civilian detention service officer in Dallas County in 1984 and quickly rose through the ranks of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, culminating in his promotion to captain in 2002. Howard retired from Dallas County and currently works part-time with the DeSoto Police Department and as an instructor at Navarro College Police Academy.
Howard advised he would not be running for the constable’s office.
