PASADENA, Texas – A former Pasadena police sergeant who was the subject of an internal investigation has surrendered his Texas law enforcement license as part of an agreement with authorities, according to the Pasadena Police Department.
The department told KPRC 2 that former Sgt. Michael Palitz surrendered his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) peace officer license “in lieu of criminal prosecution.” The department said the agreement resolved the matter after Palitz resigned from the department.
The development follows KPRC 2’s reporting last month on allegations made by a Pasadena city council member that Palitz improperly used the department’s Flock Safety Camera license plate reader camera system to monitor a fellow officer. Those allegations have not been independently verified by KPRC 2, and Palitz has not been charged with any crime.
Department confirms licensing agreement
In a statement to KPRC 2, the Pasadena Police Department said:
“The matter was resolved through an agreement requiring the individual to surrender his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) peace officer license in lieu of criminal prosecution.”
The department also told KPRC 2 it would not share additional comment because the case is now closed.
KPRC 2 first reported in July that Palitz had resigned while under an internal investigation. At the time, the department said the investigation would continue despite his resignation.
What is TCOLE?
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, or TCOLE, oversees licensing and professional standards for law enforcement officers across Texas.
“They essentially handle all law enforcement licensing and standards in the state of Texas,” said Howard Henderson, founding director of Texas Southern University’s Center for Justice Research. “They essentially establish minimum qualifications, training, any ethical standards for police officers, and it can take licensing action when those standards are not met.”
According to Henderson, permanently surrendering a TCOLE license means an individual can no longer obtain or hold a TCOLE-issued law enforcement license in Texas.
“TCOLE says that the person is permanently ineligible to hold or obtain any TCOLE-issued license,” Henderson said. “In plain terms, that person cannot return to a TCOLE licensed officer in Texas.”
That means Palitz cannot serve as a licensed police officer, county jailer or other TCOLE-licensed peace officer in Texas.
However, Henderson said the licensing action does not automatically prevent someone from seeking law enforcement employment in another state because TCOLE’s authority extends only to Texas.
TCOLE rules allow licenses to be surrendered for several reasons
Under Texas Commission on Law Enforcement rules, licensed peace officers may voluntarily surrender their licenses for several reasons, including as part of an employment termination agreement, a plea agreement in a criminal case, an agreed settlement with the commission, or for another reason.
TCOLE rules also provide that a license may be surrendered either permanently or for a specified period. If a surrender request does not include an end date, it is treated as a permanent surrender.
The Pasadena Police Department told KPRC 2 that Palitz surrendered his license “through an agreement requiring the individual to surrender his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) peace officer license in lieu of criminal prosecution.”
The department has not publicly released the agreement or provided additional details about the circumstances surrounding the surrender.
Previous reporting detailed allegations
Last month, Pasadena City Council Member Emmanuel Guerrero told KPRC 2 he believed the investigation centered on allegations that Palitz misused the city’s Flock Safety camera system.
“Based on what we gathered, [he] was using our camera system, our Flock system, to track and stalk a female officer,” Guerrero said.
When asked whether he was alleging Palitz was under investigation for misusing the Flock system to stalk a fellow officer, Guerrero responded, “Correct.”
KPRC 2 has not independently verified those allegations, and Pasadena police have not publicly released investigative findings detailing what led to the licensing agreement.
Henderson said allegations involving police use of surveillance technology can raise broader public concerns, regardless of the outcome of an investigation.
“When an officer allegedly misuses a surveillance tool, it in its very nature raises a public trust question,” Henderson said. “People need confidence that the system designed to protect the community cannot at the same time be used to improperly monitor, intimidate or intrude upon private citizens.”
He added that the broader issue extends beyond the technology itself.
“The bigger issue is not necessarily whether police have technology, but it’s really shrouded in whether or not police departments have earned the public’s trust to use this technology responsibly,” Henderson said.
Expert: License surrender is not a criminal conviction
Henderson emphasized that surrendering a professional license should not be viewed as proof of criminal wrongdoing.
“I don’t know if we really view the TCOLE surrender as proof of criminal guilt, but I think it’s a serious professional accountability question,” he said.
He also noted that surrendering a professional license is different from being convicted of a crime.
“Surrendering a professional license is a serious accountability outcome,” Henderson said. “And that is not the same as a criminal conviction.”
Questions remain about transparency
Although Henderson said the outcome reflects some measure of accountability, he believes the public still deserves answers about what investigators found.
“The fact that there was an investigation shows that there was some measure of accountability,” Henderson said.
He added that more transparency would help strengthen public confidence.
“I think a complete investigation and a licensing consequence sort of demonstrates accountability to a certain extent,” Henderson said. “But the public also deserves transparency about what safeguards failed in this case and what investigators found and what the agency will change to prevent any future occurrences of this manner.”
No criminal charges filed
KPRC 2 is not aware of any criminal charges filed against Palitz in connection with the allegations involving the Flock camera system.
The department has not publicly released the investigative findings underlying its decision to resolve the matter through the licensing agreement, and Palitz has not been convicted of any crime.
Palitz’s attorney declined to comment when contacted by KPRC 2 regarding the investigation and surrendering his license.