FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office has launched an internal investigation into its police training academy after a state audit found multiple compliance deficiencies, forcing officials to delay the graduation of the academy’s latest cadet class.
Sheriff Eric Fagan announced Monday that an audit conducted by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) identified problems at the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy involving student attendance records, completion and use of standardized forms, and quality assurance measures intended to ensure compliance with state standards.
“The TCOLE audit identified procedural deficiencies involving accounting of students’ attendance, the proper completion and use of standardized forms, and adequate quality assurance measures to ensure academic practices consistently complied with TCOLE’s rules and standards,” Fagan said during a news conference.
The findings prompted the academy to postpone the graduation of its current cadet class, which had been scheduled for late July. Officials also delayed testing for the next cadet class, originally set to begin on Aug. 24.
Fagan said the sheriff’s office will conduct a 45-day investigation in accordance with TCOLE policy to determine how the compliance failures occurred. He said employees found responsible could face disciplinary action.
“No cadet committed any deficiency,” Fagan said. “All the deficiencies are on us. We made that mistake, not the cadets. So to them, we apologize.”
The investigation follows requirements under Senate Bill 1445, enacted in 2023, which requires law enforcement agencies to investigate alleged academy misconduct and determine whether disciplinary action, including termination of licensed academy personnel, is warranted within 45 days.