Officials testify about alleged behavior of ex-Fort Worth PD chief at D.C. event

There was more testimony on Wednesday about alleged unprofessional conduct by former Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald days before he was fired.

It was day three of a hearing to determine if an injunction will be extended that prevents the city from moving forward in hiring a new chief.

The city manager has said Fitzgerald's conduct at a law enforcement event in Washington, D.C. factored into the firing. Fitzgerald alleges that the city fired him in retaliation for trying to expose what he says were criminal violations involving civilian city employees with clearance to access sensitive law enforcement data.

Assistant City Manager Jay Chapa responded to questions while on the stand about the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS).

“I knew they were doing a criminal investigation or he had [FWPD Ofc. Mason] Fincher looking into it but it was never reported to me that there was an open investigation. Nobody else in the department talked to me about it,” Chapa said. “I figured if they found something it would be raised and we would know about it.”

Manny Ramirez, president of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association, answered questions about an alleged confrontation between Fitzgerald and another man at an event in Washington D.C.

Fitzgerald has said there was no confrontation. City officials have said the incident was one of the reasons they decided to fire Fitzgerald.