By BOBBY HORN JR.
The North Forest ISD Police Board of Trustees, this week, upheld its decision to fire two members of its police force.
Timberly Douglas and Gerald Eagleton were fired after following an investigation by the Harris County District Attorneys Office in which sexually explicit photos were found on computers at Smiley High which the officers had used.
Both officers have denied placing the images on the computers saying that other employees had access to the computers.
In a letter to Interim Superintendent William Jones last month, Assistant District Attorney Teresa Buess informed him that inappropriate photographs of a female officer were found on one of the computers which Eagleton had access to.
Although none of these images are pornographic, Buess wrote, They cannot be considered appropriate for display at a work place, especially a school.
The investigation into the computers also led investigators to discover images of a pornographic nature on another computer that Douglas had access.
The firing of the two officers is not the only troubles the school district police force has seen this year.
Before coming to North Forest ISD, Eagleton worked at Texas Southern University. Former North Forest Interim Police Chief Tyrone Walker has reportedly told the district attorneys office that while reviewing Eagletons work record at TSU he learned of allegations that Eagleton had downloaded pornographic images onto a work computer.
On March 8, the North Forest ISD fired Superintendent Dr. James Simpson. The following day the district confirmed that they were allegations of theft leveled against Walker. Walker was placed on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. In a written statement, the district said that another officer was under investigation for inappropriate action. They would not say who the officer was or what inappropriate action meant.
However, during the March 8 meeting the Board met in executive session to conduct a Level II hearing for Officer DeAngelo Lavergne. When the board returned to open session they voted to reprimand Lavergne, reinstate him without pay and send him to retraining.
Simpson has said that his firing was in retaliation to his investigation of the police department. School Board member Charles Taylor was married to Eagletons sister 25 years ago. Taylor said that he voted to fire the superintendent due to a lack of communication and lack of confidence in Simpson.
Last week the board also voted to fire Officer Joey Pernell. On March 16 Pernell was indicted on a charge of indecent exposure. Last week an additional indictment of aggravated perjury to a grand jury was filed against Pernell.
