The Dickinson mayor summed up a review about the city’s police department as “disturbing” after hundreds of pieces of evidence went missing and rape kits went untested.
City leaders said Dickinson’s police department underwent major changes after what a new audit found.
“I was really disturbed,” Dickinson Mayor Sean Skipworth said. “There’s nothing in there to be proud of. What disturbed me the most was we had these 20 rape kits that went untested going back to 2007.”
Skipworth said an audit took place after a new chief was sworn in last year. A new report lays out what was found.
It claims nearly 1,200 pieces of evidence are missing, 20 rape kits weren’t tested, and civilians were given cards to access unrestricted police department areas.
“I asked our chief at one point when we were hearing about this,” Skipworth recalled. “I said, ‘What’s a normal amount of missing evidence?’ He said, ‘Really, one piece of missing evidence is a serious problem.'”
The report blames former police leaders, including Chief Ron Morales. Evidence went missing, but items were found on an officer’s desk, and ammunition went unaccounted.