According to SanAngeloLive.com, former Bangs Police Chief Robert Allen Garcia has filed a federal lawsuit accusing city officials of retaliating against him after he submitted official complaints to the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding a city councilmember.

SanAngeloLive.com further states, the lawsuit, originally filed April 29 in Brown County District Court, was removed to federal court in San Angelo on May 29. Named in the suit are the City of Bangs, City Administrator Erica Berry, Councilmember Gregory Parrott, and Mayor Steve Whittenberg. Berry is named in both her official and individual capacities; Parrott and Whittenberg are named individually.

Garcia, who served as police chief from 2021 until his termination on Dec. 13, 2024, alleges that Parrott began interfering in police department operations shortly after taking office and lodged a series of complaints against him. The lawsuit states that Garcia submitted a complaint to the Brown County Sheriff’s Department on or about Feb. 15–16, 2024. On March 22, 2024, he filed discrimination complaints with the state and federal civil rights agencies.

Three days after filing with the agencies, a Bangs City Council executive session was held on March 25, 2024. The lawsuit claims Parrott criticized Garcia’s performance during that meeting.

SanAngeloLive.com continues, the suit also references five complaints allegedly submitted by Parrott between November 2023 and November 2024. According to the petition, the fifth complaint was sent via text message on Nov. 4, 2024. It was regarding a lack of police presence at a high school football game. It was cited in a formal reprimand issued to Garcia by Mayor Whittenberg on Nov. 7, 2024. Garcia argues the text message did not meet the requirements for a valid complaint under Section 614.023 of the Texas Government Code, which mandates that disciplinary action against a law enforcement officer must be based on a signed written complaint.

Garcia alleges that Parrott engaged in racial and age-based discrimination by making statements about his ethnicity and being “too young” to serve as chief. Garcia identifies as Hispanic and was 32 years old at the time of his hiring.

The lawsuit asserts violations of the Texas Whistleblower Act, due process violations under the U.S. Constitution, tortious interference with a contract, and civil conspiracy. Garcia is seeking monetary relief of between $250,000 and $1 million, along with attorneys’ fees and other damages.

Chris Heese, Attorney at Law representing Robert Garcia reached out to BrownwoodNews.com following Garcia’s termination, stating Garcia was terminated from his position as Bangs Police Chief on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.

The statement to BrownwoodNews.com by Heese is as follows:

“On December 13, 2024, at 8:56 a.m., Bangs City Manager Erica Berry terminated Chief Robert Garcia. She stated the reason was that her vision and Chief Garcia’s vision for the future of the City was not the same. Also present at the meeting was Brown County Sheriff’s Office Deputy James Stroope, and Brown County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Pete Bastardo.

The termination stems from a dispute with Mayor Steve Whittenburg, in which Mayor Whittenburg disciplined Chief Garcia unfairly, and violated his Due Process and Due Course of Law Rights. A violation of the Chief’s rights were brought to the attention of the Mayor with two formal requests from the Chief’s attorney, but were not responded to.

The termination of Chief Garcia is a retaliatory act for Chief Garcia reporting a violation of the law.”

BrownwoodNews.com reached out to the City of Bangs, which offered the following response:

“The City of Bangs does not comment on personnel matters.”

More information from SanAngeloLive.com can be found at the following link.