Killeen police arrest Kempner police chief for failure to report Title IX violations

KILLEEN, Texas - The Killeen Police Department has arrested the Kempner police chief for failing to report Title IX violations when he was a chief of police at Texas A&M University-Central Texas.

Charles Edward Rodriguez was charged with failure to report certain incidents. A warrant was issued for his arrest, says Killeen PD, and Rodriguez turned himself into the Killeen City Jail on Tuesday.

“Now more than ever, the integrity of the police profession requires thorough impartial investigations, regardless of the status of the accused," said Killeen Police Chief Charles Kimble in a statement. "The Killeen Police Department stands with survivors of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking."

Killeen police say in March, they received information that a law enforcement officer at the campus had failed to report complaints made by a student. An investigation revealed that a student had reported Title IX violations, allegedly committed by a former employee, to the former Chief of Police on two occasions.

The former Chief of Police then failed to report the incidents as required by the Texas Education Code. Killeen PD says Title IX violations include instances of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking, but would not say what the specific complaints were in this case.

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After the Bell County Attorney's Office reviews the case, Rodriguez was charged. He has been arraigned and bond has been set at $2,000.

Texas A&M University-Central Texas released the following statement about the arrest:

It is not our practice to comment on personnel issues or active investigations or possible criminal prosecution. Questions about criminal prosecution should be directed to the Bell County Attorney’s Office.

We stand in alliance with survivors of Title IX issues and remind them and our public that we are committed to providing a safe learning environment for all of our students. The University's Title IX office offers support and services for those affected. Those resources can be found at: https://www.tamuct.edu/compliance/titleix.html.