Police department eliminated in financial turmoil

POINT — The City of Point will no longer have a police department beginning Friday after city personnel said they’ve struggled to cover costs while facing a debt of up to $500,000.

According to our news partner KETK, Angela Nelson, the city’s mayor, stated it would not be meeting all of its current payroll obligations following the discovery of a “substantial financial shortfall.”

Payroll tax payments to the IRS were not made or were “sporadically” made throughout the last few years, causing the city to be under a formal investigation. The debt, including penalties and interest, exceeds over $300,000 and the IRS may seek to seize city owned vehicles and real property.

The city also owes more than $200,000, which includes $80,000 accrued during 2025, to the Texas Comptroller after a former city employee allegedly misappropriated funds by apparently moving them into the general funds in order to make a payroll.

“As a former Council member and now your Mayor, I assure you this was not disclosed to Council, and it appears it was actively concealed,” Nelson said. “Regardless, these sums are substantial, and now do not exist inside the general fund.”

Nelson said a forensic audit will be a high priority once a city council is impaneled, if it can be afforded.

Additionally, the city was presented with an incomplete budget for the 2025-2026 year, failing to address payment for “several things,” including the payroll tax obligation per employee. Due to a “significant difference” in the projected budget and the cost to employ city personnel, the city’s funds are depleting at a higher rate than funds are incoming, Nelson said.

As a result, Nelson has determined that suspending all police officers and acquiring law enforcement assistance from Rains County is the most cost-effective solution.

The decision is effective Friday, and all city-owned vehicles, firearms, uniforms and tactical gear are to be returned to the city by 4 p.m. The officers may apply for reinstatement in May once new city council members are impaneled, but Nelson says it is unlikely that funding will be available.

“I understand that this may cause a hardship to many of our officers, many of which have served the City in a dedicated manner,” Nelson said in her letter. “I am deeply saddened to have to make this decision and had sincerely hoped to preserve as many personnel members as possible.”

The city council will meet next on March 10.

KETK News reached out to the City of Point and the police department for more information, but has not heard back as of Friday afternoon.