GALVESTON, Texas — The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) is set to vote on an “agreed order of suspension” for Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen’s peace officer license at its Dec. 10 meeting.
The proposed agreement comes nearly a year-and-a-half after TCOLE initially recommended revoking Fullen’s license in June 2024, during his campaign as the Republican candidate for Galveston County sheriff. Under Texas law, elected sheriffs must hold active peace officer licenses.
TCOLE alleged that Fullen falsified government documents by omitting details of his criminal history, including several 1980s arrests for assault. The complaint was originally filed by retired Galveston County sheriff’s sergeant Kenneth Williams, who said Fullen made multiple falsifications on two personal history statements submitted during his campaign — about 20 errors on one and 19 on the other.
After Fullen won the election in November 2024, TCOLE proposed a 10-year suspension rather than revocation, as state law prohibits revoking licenses of elected officials. Fullen later sued TCOLE, claiming the suspension effectively amounted to a revocation. The parties entered mediation to reach a settlement outside of court, approved by Galveston County District Court Judge Jeth Jones.
Fullen declined to comment, and TCOLE said it cannot release details of the proposed agreement until after the Dec. 10 vote, which will be livestreamed.
