Just when you thought the reputation of the Texas Dept. of Public Safety had hit bottom comes news that their new leader, Col. Stan Clark, is resigning amid allegations that he sexually harassed female employees.
Clark was named interim director of the agency last fall, and took over for Col. Tommy Davis who resigned in the wake of the Governor’s Mansion fire debacle. “This is an elite law enforcement agency. We expect all our employees to demonstrate the highest degree of professionalism,” Allan Polunsky, chair of the Public Safety Commission, said in a statement. “The director must set the example for all employees in their workplace communications.”
It appears Clark wasn’t exactly meeting that standard. According to a complaint filed by a 32-year veteran female employee (her name was redacted from the complaint), Clark behaved inappropriately on more than one occasion with her and at least two other female employees, blowing kisses to one and touching, hugging, and kissing another. The employee who complained reported also that Clark would refer to her as “his girl” and had touched her as well — “rubbing my ear, touching my waist, etc.”
Clark is already off the job, but his formal resignation is effective May 31. The Public Safety Commission is expected to appoint an interim director this week.
This article appears in May 1 • 2009.