Editing Coffee City, Texas (section)

==Police==
	
The town maintains its own local police department, the Coffee City Police Department.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Police Department |publisher= City of Coffee City |location=Coffee City, Texas |url=https://www.cityofcoffeecity.com/departments/police-department/ }}</ref> In August of 2023, an investigation by Houston television station [[KHOU]] found it was a relatively large police force with 50 personnel, more than 20% of the town's population, and more than five times the number employed by other municipalities of similar size. More than half of the department's officers had reportedly been previously suspended, demoted, or terminated in prior law enforcement jobs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rogalski |first=Jeremy |date=August 30, 2023 |title=This Texas town has about 250 people. It has 50 sworn police officers. {{!}} Part 1 |publisher=KHOU Channel 11 |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-texas-police-officers/285-4220e73c-90d4-474e-b59e-2033270cd8e9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831022819/https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-texas-police-officers/285-4220e73c-90d4-474e-b59e-2033270cd8e9 |archive-date=August 31, 2023}}</ref> Additionally, John Jay Portillo, the chief of police, was discovered to have failed to disclose on his job application an unresolved [[Driving under the influence|DUI]] charge out of Florida. After becoming chief of police, Portillo also launched a questionable warrant division in which full-time officers were not required to work in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogalski |first=Jeremy |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Coffee City Police Department suspends division after KHOU 11 Investigates questioned its legality {{!}} Part 3 |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-police-department-suspends-division-amid-legal-questions/285-85d5c28d-db26-43d5-a5ee-7d72a3b9e316 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=KHOU |language=en-US}}</ref> Several officers were also found to work private security jobs in the area (Texas law allows full-time police to hire themselves out for extra money).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogalski |first=Jeremy |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Caught on camera: Small-town police chief goes on tirade {{!}} Part 2 |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-police-chief-tirade/285-2ee4378d-1bdc-475a-ae8b-7b670b72f35e |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=KHOU |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dickinson |first=Tim |date=2023-09-09 |title=The Small Texas Town With 50 Cops and Only 250 Residents |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/coffee-city-cop-scandal-1234821473/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> Portillo was suspended from his position on September 5, pending an investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogalski |first=Jeremy |date=September 5, 2023 |title=Coffee City police chief suspended after KHOU 11 Investigation {{!}} Part 4 |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-police-chief-suspension-khou-11-investigation/285-ed7d4c8e-1d93-4b42-9b5f-184889f0e580 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=KHOU |language=en-US}}</ref> On September 11, the city council unanimously voted to fire Portillo and to temporarily deactivate the department, pending the hire of a new chief, with the [[Henderson County, Texas|Henderson County]] Sheriff's Office taking over in the interim,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogalski |first=Jeremy |date=September 11, 2023 |title=In wake of KHOU 11 Investigates reports, Coffee City fires police chief, deactivates police department |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-police-chief-fired-department-deactivated/285-d8951489-1dd4-4920-9c0b-ef69d842ad52 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=KHOU |language=en-US}}</ref> assisted by deputies from the nearby Smith County Sheriff's Office.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Niemeyer |first=Kenneth |date=September 15, 2023 |title=Texas town with 50 cops for 250 people just disbanded its entire police force |newspaper=Insider |url=https://www.insider.com/coffee-city-texas-speed-trap-shuts-down-entire-police-force-2023-9 |archive-url=https://archive.today/sOHIw?https://www.insider.com/coffee-city-texas-speed-trap-shuts-down-entire-police-force-2023-9 |archive-date=November 7, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> Questions regarding funding of the new police department have delayed action by the town council.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Martinez |first=Jesus |date=October 24, 2023 |title=Coffee City explores options to bring back police department |newspaper=CBS Channel 19 |url=https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/coffee-city-explores-options-to-bring-back-police-department/501-bc5898d5-1dd5-4d0f-b682-eb09e0e911d4 |archive-url=https://archive.today/9dzap?https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/coffee-city-explores-options-to-bring-back-police-department/501-bc5898d5-1dd5-4d0f-b682-eb09e0e911d4 |archive-date=November 7, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>