Smith County Precinct 1 Chief Deputy terminated after November arrest

TYLER — Smith County’s Precinct 1 Chief Deputy has been fired following her Nov. arrest for theft while on duty. According to our news partner KETK, LaQuenda Banks, 42, of Tyler was terminated from her position as chief deputy on Dec. 3, according to Smith County Human Resources. Banks, Constable Curtis Harris and Sergeant Derrick Holman were arrested by the Texas Rangers in Nov. for allegedly stealing while executing a writ of possession on a rental property at Cascades Court in Tyler on Oct. 18. The three were arrested on charges of abuse of official capacity, official oppression and theft of property over $750 but no more than $2,500.

The tenant whose items were allegedly stolen by the three filed a theft report with the Tyler Police and the list of the things missing from the residence were an iPhone 8, Oakley sunglasses, jewelry, Chanel perfume, an iPhone X, Nike shoes, Airpods, 2 iPhone 12s, 2 MacBooks and more than $3,000 in cash. It was also mentioned that firearms were taken by the constable’s office but were later returned.

According to a representative from Texas Commission of Law Enforcement, all three officers’ law enforcement licenses have been suspended. The termination letter for Banks was signed by Constable Curtis Harris on Dec. 3. Harris and Holman are still listed as Constable and Sergeant for Smith County Precinct 1 on the Smith County website. The suspension of licensure does not remove the elected constable, Harris, from office or stop him from exercising his authority as an elected constable according to TCOLE.