BEE COUNTY, Texas — The City of Beeville has rescinded the termination of former Police Chief Kevin Behr and accepted his voluntary resignation following an independent investigation into misconduct allegations, according to a city announcement released Tuesday.
The city said the decision came after an in-depth review conducted by Work Shield, a third-party firm hired to investigate a complaint previously made against Behr.
“Following an in-depth review of the investigation conducted by Work Shield into an allegation made against Chief of Police Kevin Behr, the City has rescinded Chief Behr’s termination and accepted his voluntary resignation,” the city’s statement said.
The announcement follows reporting in August, when the City of Beeville terminated Behr after a complaint of misconduct was submitted to the city. Records obtained by KRIS 6 News through an open records request showed the complaint involved an alleged inappropriate comment that left an employee feeling “angry and upset.”
Another employee told investigators they had previously felt uncomfortable around Behr.
At the time, Behr denied making any inappropriate comment and denied claims of inappropriate behavior within the department. The investigation concluded with a recommendation that the issue be addressed internally.
In an interview with KRIS 6 News following Tuesday’s announcement, Behr said the city’s decision supports his claim that the allegations were unfounded.
“I feel vindicated,” Behr said. “There was no proof.”
Behr said he filed a lawsuit following his termination and believes his name has now been cleared. He also said he does not plan to return to the Beeville Police Department.
“I don’t want to go back,” Behr said, adding that he believes returning could create further conflict within the department.
Behr also pointed to changes made during his tenure, including updates to department policies and staffing levels, which he said had not been fully staffed in years prior.
Following Behr’s termination in August, the city named Ryan Treviño as interim police chief.
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