Former HCSO deputy was hired by Pct. 2 despite his previous violent history while on the job

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- ABC13 has been asking the question: How could a former Harris County Sheriff Deputy, fired from the force with multiple disciplinary infractions on his record, be hired at a neighboring department?

Reporter Lileana Pearson got ahold of former deputy Christopher Bolin's employment records. The records contain nearly 50 pages documenting Bolin's 7 years of service with the Harris County Sheriff's Department.

Evaluations that start out with glowing reviews for a man learning the ropes of his job quickly devolve into a record of disregard for department policy and excessive use of force.

"Wow, they would really hire someone like this?" Kristopher Willis Jr. questioned over Facetime from his Texas State dorm room.

Willis Jr. was appalled to learn the deputy, who led a violent arrest of him and his friends in 2023, was back on the job.

"It's scary that somebody like that can be out in the field. You just never know what's going to happen," Willis said.

In a video from 2023, you watch as Willis, then a high school senior was trying to get help from friends after his car ran out of gas.

Seth Palumbo was going to get gas for his friend when former Harris County sheriff's deputy Christopher Bolin and others dragged Palumbo from the car while Willis filmed.

"It's a very traumatic experience what happened and changed my whole outlook on cops," Palumbo said, recalling the arrest.

Willis was charged with impeding a roadway, Palumbo, for felony resisting arrest. After months, the teen's charges would be dropped, and Bolin would be fired.

"We were like, at least he's fired, and he's off the unit, you know what I mean? So nothing like this ever has to happen to anyone else," Willis said.

The shoddy arrest was the final straw for Bolin, but certainly not the first.

ABC13 was able to get Bolin's personnel records. They start with Bolin getting rave reviews, even praising him for making multiple arrests after hours at his own apartment complex, though it is noted that "his apparent desire to put people in jail can hinder or cloud his judgment" and that he can be "overzealous" when making arrests.

Records show he chased someone through an intersection at 107 miles an hour with no sirens on, didn't notify command when someone he detained escaped, and used force. Overall, Bolin has nearly a dozen documented disciplinary write-ups on his record.

One of the more notable write-ups comes from a June 2022 incident. Bolin claims he pulled someone over for failing to stop at a stop sign.

When he approaches the car, he claims the person is combative and arrests him.

However, according to the documents, the body cam shows no improper stop, Bolin refusing to tell the man why he stopped him, a violent arrest, and Bolin even telling a partner the arrest was fine because the driver probably had a warrant.

The driver did not have a warrant, and Bolin was suspended for 24 hours.

But just a week after being fired from the sheriff's office, Bolin appears on the Harris County Constable Precinct 2 pay list.

Precinct 2 said there were no complaints against Bolin during his time at their department. However, when questioned about why they hired Bolin, they said some of his records were not available to them.

They wouldn't say which documents were unavailable, but a quick Google search would have shown ABC13's reporting on Bolin's arrest of Willis and his friends.

"Injustice was committed by a peace officer, but you sat there and rehired him. I know they had to see the incident, and if we're hiring people like that to keep the peace, if we are hiring aggressors to keep the peace, how is that ever going to solve anything?" Palumbo said.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office responded to our inquiries with a statement that said, "All Texas law enforcement agencies have the ability to request a candidate's employment file from a prior agency via the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement's Secure Share system."

They were unable to comment on what materials would have been available on Bolin at the time of his hiring with Precinct 2.

In the last couple of weeks, two federal lawsuits have been filed against Bolin for traffic stops and arrests he made with the sheriff's department.

ABC13 first contacted Precinct 2 about Bolin several weeks ago when we learned about the lawsuits. At the time, Precinct 2 did not know about the lawsuits or Bolin's sordid past. Bolin was allowed to resign on Tuesday.

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