The Trinidad Police Department in Texas has been ordered to disband following the controversial arrest of Jennifer Combs, a mother of four who was jailed on a felony charge after using Facebook to collect public reports regarding local discolored and contaminated drinking water.
How a Social Media Campaign Led to a Felony Arrest
Jennifer Combs started the Southern Belle Watch Facebook page after learning that residents were struggling with discolored Trinidad tap water, sediment, and foul odors.
Combs collected resident complaints with the intention of forwarding the information to state inspectors. However, the municipal response was swift and severe. Trinidad police arrived at her home and arrested her on a felony false alarm or report charge. Combs spent 23 hours in jail before a Henderson County grand jury ultimately declined to indict her.
The Firing of Judge Bivens and Escalating Fallout
The fallout from the arrest widened when citizen journalist Winston Noles, known online as Otto the Watchdog, protested outside Trinidad City Hall carrying a sign criticizing local police. Trinidad police arrested Noles and charged him with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, claiming his sign offended the city’s water clerk, Colby Reyes.
Former Trinidad Municipal Judge Shellena Bivens, who served as a judge for 16 years, reviewed the case and repeatedly ordered officers to release Noles, stating the evidence did not support the charge. Local reporting later revealed that Reyes stated in writing that she was not offended by the protest. Reyes and another city employee subsequently filed a wrongful termination lawsuit alleging city officials fired Reyes because she refused to lie about her reaction to the protest.
Following her decision to dismiss the protest case, the Trinidad City Council voted 3-1 to dismiss Judge Bivens from her position during a May 28 meeting. Combs has since filed a federal lawsuit against the municipality alleging political retaliation.
The 30-Second Verdict
