FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The two state agents who assisted Fort Worth police during the controversial bar check at a gay bar in June have been fired, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Christopher Aller, who had been with the commission for five years, and Jason Chapman, four months, were fired Friday, a news release stated.
Their supervisor, Sgt. Terry Parsons, who had earlier announced his retirement, will be terminated effective Wednesday.
The commission also disciplined two other supervisors and announced several policy changes, including increased supervision over agents, the teaching of new de-escalation tactics and improved training.
"We are continuing to look at ways to bridge the gap between our employees and the communities we serve and to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with TABC is treated with respect," said Joel Moreno, the commission’s chief of field operations. "The changes outlined here are the first steps the agency is taking, but they will not be the last."
Jon Nelson, a spokesman for Fairness Fort Worth, called the firings "fair, proportional and correct" in light of the agents’ failure to follow departmental policies during the incident at the Rainbow Lounge, a gay bar in Fort Worth.
"The agents’ misconduct that evening is simply unacceptable and TABC is right to have terminated them," Nelson said in a statement. "Fairness Fort Worth appreciates TABC’s strong commitment to instituting changes that result in better trained agents and improvements to services for all Texas communities."
The commission is continuing an investigation into whether its agents used excessive force.
Fort Worth police officials continue their investigation as well.
In an internal affairs report that was released earlier this month, the commission said that Aller and Chapman violated numerous policies in connection with the inspection, including:
Participating in the operation with Fort Worth police without approval.
Wearing "unapproved" attire.
Failing to follow bar inspection procedures.
Failing to report using force against patrons.
Failing to report that one patron was injured.
Disrupting business, among other things.
The officers could not be located for comment Friday. Aller declined to comment Friday through a relative, but according to the report, he told investigators that he violated some policies.
"I hope I’m not the scapegoat for some things... I’ll take the responsibility for the things I did wrong." Aller said.
Chapman, a trainee, told investigators: "We conducted ourselves in a professional manner. We had some hiccups on policy. There’s no two ways about that, and that’s my responsibility."
The report details what happened during the June 28 bar inspection by Fort Worth police and beverage commission agents, which led to five public-intoxication arrests and left one bar patron, Chad Gibson, seriously injured.
According to the report, Aller committed eight violations in connection with the incident and Chapman is accused of seven.
Parsons and Aller have a right to file a grievance over the firing within 10 working days, but Chapman cannot because he was a new employee on a six-month probationary period, the commission said.
Aller has filed a complaint regarding public comments that commission Administrator Alan Steen made after the bar inspection, and those comments are also being investigated.
Parsons, who supervises the agents but was not with them at the Rainbow Lounge — and did not approve the operation — is accused of four violations.
According to the report, Parsons acknowledged to investigators that he "messed up" for not inquiring more about his agents’ activities that night.
"I accept responsibility," Parsons said, according to the report. "I made a mistake and I know it’s going to cost me."
The beverage commission announced Friday that it had disciplined two other supervisors: Fort Worth District Lt. Gene Anderson received three days’ suspension without pay and six months’ probation for inadequate oversight of his employees.
Capt. Robert Cloud received a written reprimand for inadequate supervision and failure to follow the incident notification policy. The commission will also transfer a sergeant from the Fort Worth office to the Dallas office, although the move is not considered disciplinary action, the agency said.
A management review also led to operational changes, the commission announced. Agents will no longer be allowed to work four 10-hour shifts and will instead work five eight-hour shifts. Sergeants will be required to spend the majority of their work hours on the night shift.
The agency also plans collaborate with community groups to add more cross-cultural education to its diversity training, which already includes sexual orientation and gender identity, the agency said.
Staff writer Lee Williams contributed to this report, which includes material from Star-Telegram archives.
The agents’ misconduct that evening is simply unacceptable and TABC is right to have terminated them."
from The Star-Telegram
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