City official suspends police chief

North Richland Hills decision follows officer's report of erratic driving

09:57 PM CST on Friday, December 10, 2004

By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News

The North Richland Hills police chief was suspended three days without pay after one of his own patrol officers stopped him for what the officer described as erratic driving this week.

Officer Tim Hennessy pulled over Chief Tom Shockley, 54, who was driving his Lincoln Continental in the 7400 block of Maplewood Avenue about 12:30 p.m. Monday, officials said.

After Officer Hennessy made the stop, the off-duty chief can be heard on a police audiotape released Friday saying: "Oh, I was just testing you."

Chief Shockley was not arrested and didn't receive a citation. After the stop, Officer Hennessy followed the chief to the police station.

Chief Shockley, who is scheduled for back surgery next week, was at home Friday recovering from medical tests and declined to comment.

City Manager Larry Cunningham reviewed the incident and suspended the chief on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

According to a statement issued by North Richland Hills, Chief Shockley told officials that he had taken prescription drugs and that may have hampered his driving ability.

"Chief Shockley clearly made a poor decision when he decided to drive after taking medication," Mr. Cunningham said. "Our police officers are involved in promoting traffic safety, and for one of them to be stopped for erratic driving clearly doesn't send a positive message to the public."

On the police audiotape, Officer Hennessy can be heard sighing deeply and uttering profanities.

The patrolman called a supervisor after learning the driver's identity. He told the supervisor that the chief ran a stop sign and rolled onto a curb.

"His speech is as slurred as [expletive]," Officer Hennessy said on the tape.

"I don't know if he was on medicine," the officer continued. "I didn't smell any alcohol. He don't need to be driving."Police officers who confront superiors in potentially illegal situations face moral dilemmas that could threaten their careers, said Kevin Lawrence, director of operations for the Texas Municipal Police Association in Austin.

"You stop somebody and the person is a person of authority, the question is, do you do the right thing by your badge or the right thing by your department," Mr. Lawrence said.

Officers are left little recourse.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable doing the right thing," Mr. Lawrence said. "Even if it doesn't get me fired, it will create a tenuous relationship with my boss."

Officer Hennessy couldn't be reached for comment.

Mayor Oscar Trevino said Chief Shockley has been an effective leader but made a poor decision.

"He messed up, and the city manager is not shirking his responsibility in disciplining him," Mr. Trevino said. "We move on."

Chief Shockley has had two employment stints with the North Richland Hills Police Department.

A year after joining the department in 1972 he was named officer of the year. He served four years before joining the Grapevine Police Department.

He left law enforcement in 1980 to work in the private sector. He returned to North Richland Hills in 1982 and received several commendations including supervisor of the year in 1985.

Staff writer Kathryn Yegge contributed to this report.

E-mail debdennis@dallasnews.com

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