Eagle Lake PD chief fired over cover-up allegations

EAGLE LAKE, Texas (KTRK) -- A police chief has been stripped of his gun and badge and fired after accusations that he covered up alleged bad behavior in his department.

This is all unfolding in the small community of Eagle Lake in Colorado County, which is west of Rosenberg.

ABC13 obtained a letter the city manager sent to now-former Chief Kris Abbott, outlining several policy violations.

One of the big ones involves former police officer Christopher Cannon.

In May, Cannon was charged with impersonation, and a complaint was filed while he was working for the Eagle Lake Police Department.

That complaint is listed as one of the reasons for Abbott's firing.

"Chief Abbott failed to investigate claims that Cannon was married to two women at the same time and provided a false document showing the first marriage was annulled," according to the city of Eagle Lake.

Abbott is also accused of downplaying an allegation of sexual harassment against another officer and failing to run background checks on police candidates he later hired.

The city also says that five of the eight officers in the department did not have all of the documentation required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement during his time as chief.

ABC13 was unable to reach Abbott for a comment.