A small Texas town has been left with no police officers after the city council fired its remaining officer.
The Hawkins City Council voted on Monday to terminate Lieutenant Eric Tuma, the department’s last remaining officer. According to agenda notes from the council meeting, Tuma was fired for “dereliction of sworn duties” and “abandonment of post.” During the meeting, Mayor Debbie Rushing cited reports that allege Tuma had failed to respond to calls.
Tuma was the latest in a string of departures from the Hawkins city government. He formerly served as interim police chief following the resignation of former chief Guy McKee in February 2024. At the time, two other officers and a municipal court judge resigned.
Tuma’s termination comes just months after Mayor Rushing fired three other officers in February, citing “improper hiring practices” and a desire to “start over the right way.” Rushing claimed those officers had not been properly hired because they were not approved by the city council. However, local reports later revealed that Rushing herself was arrested in May for allegedly “tampering with government records with intent to harm.”
Council member Eric Maloy told local news outlet KLTV that the city is currently facing 16 lawsuits, many of them filed by former police officers. Regarding Tuma’s dismissal, Maloy said he had not seen any reports of misconduct and noted that Tuma had recently taken a leave of absence for a family emergency, during which he notified both the city and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
“There’s nothing in our packet for what he did wrong,” Maloy said. “I just asked tonight during the meeting, where is the paperwork for him being written up.”
Hawkins, located about 20 miles north of Tyler, Texas, is a small town that has a population of roughly 1,300 residents.
