Sunday, November 3, 2024

2 Denton County police officers indicted for misuse of information, abuse of capacity

Two police officers in Denton County were indicted late last month for misuse of official information and abuse of official capacity.

Hickory Creek Police Department Officer Sean Gabriel and Oak Point Police Department Officer Blake Harding were indicted by a grand jury on Sept. 27 for the same two charges, according to Denton County court records.

According to court records, Gabriel is accused of running a license plate for personal reasons and disclosing personal, non-public information to Harding, a violation of the Motor Vehicle Records Disclosure Act. Both charges allege that they had “intent to harm or defraud another” person.

In a news release on Wednesday, the HCPD said that Gabriel was immediately placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation. All police powers and access have been suspended for Gabriel.

“The alleged actions of Officer Gabriel do not reflect the values, ethics or character of the Hickory Creek Police Department,” the department said in a statement. “We hold all our employees to the highest standards of integrity and accountability, and any behavior falling short of those standards will not be tolerated. As we move forward, we are committed to maintaining transparency and engaging openly with our community.

“The Hickory Creek Police Department remains dedicated to upholding the public’s trust, and we will always take the necessary steps to ensure our department operates with the utmost professionalism and respect for the law.”

The Oak Point Police Department on Wednesday said that Harding was also placed on administrative leave, but the department declined to comment further.

Mark Smith
Mark Smith
Mark Smith is the Digital Editor of The Cross Timbers Gazette.

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