Last remaining Hawkins Police officer fired

HAWKINS – In their regular city council meeting on Monday, the Hawkins City Council voted to terminate the employment of Hawkins Police Department Lieutenant Eric Tuma.

According to our news partner KETK, Tuma’s termination was based on the grounds of “Dereliction of Sworn Duties” and “Abandonment of Post.” The motion to terminate Tuma’s employment was passed in a 3-2 vote. Tuma became the only officer in Hawkins PD after Hawkins Mayor Debbie Rushing fired three other officers on Feb. 18. Tuma, a Hawkins native, formerly served as the interim chief of Hawkins PD after the resignation of former chief Guy McKee in 2024.

Hawkins is located in Wood County, so the Wood County Sheriff’s Office is still available to respond to the needs of residents.

City council member Eric Maloy voted against the motion and said he was distraught by Tuma’s termination.

“I’m very distraught and can’t believe it,” Maloy said. “They want our police back. They miss them. The community, the citizens.”

“We are excited to write policies and pass policies that follow the law of the state of Texas and that everyone has to go by that law,” Rushing said.

Hawkins community member Amy Pack is worried about what response times will be like without Tuma.

“You can’t have any kind of safe community without law enforcement or a body of law,” Pack said. “They’re looking at least a 30-45 minute response time just because of the county and if they’re busy, it’s going to be even longer.”