League City blocks release of police report of domestic disturbance call to council member’s house • UPDATE 4:45 PM: LEAGUE CITY: “City’s attorney’s office has undertaken the same action in the past” for any citizen • Justin Hicks says he requested city attorney seek to withhold basic information about “petty argument” EDITOR’S NOTE: A city statement issued after the original publication was added with added context. No other content changes were made. In the overnight hours of Jan. 4, League City police were called to a house in the 2100 block of Cherry Hills Drive. The initial call was about a domestic disturbance. The house belongs to League City Council Member Justin Hicks, public records confirm. A short time later, police on the scene asked for an ambulance to “stage” nearby, which is commonly a practice to protect EMS personnel during tense police situations that could put paramedics at risk until police have determined the situation is safe and secure. League City Police Department Public Information Officer Jose Ortega confirmed no arrests were made. There is no confirmation of whether the ambulance called to the scene transported a patient or whether EMS personnel treated anyone on the scene. Then, on the afternoon of Jan. 5, police were called to the house again so that police would be on standby so someone - presumably Hicks - could retrieve some personal items. It’s unconfirmed who called the police during either call. While confirming the calls for service, Ortega said obtaining more information would require requesting police records. But, in an unusual move, the city attorney’s office has asked the Texas Attorney General’s Office to block the release of the basic reports connected to the incident. It is uncommon for police agencies to try to block the release of the “top sheet” of a police report, which contains only basic information about the call and is routinely released when requested. The city is also asking the attorney general to block the release of police dispatch logs related to the incident. While i45NOW also made a separate request for radio and 911 calls - which the city is also requesting be withheld - private information on those calls may be edited/redacted. A provision i45NOW agreed to when making the request. City Manager John Baumgartner said he did not request that the city attorney take such action but would check the reasoning. League City Mayor Nick Long also asked the city attorney’s office for the reasons behind the effort to block basic police report information. “I think it is completely improper to give any council member special treatment. All citizens must be treated the same,” Long said. “That being said, the staff assures me they did not bend the rules. While I trust them, they must verify everything was above board.” However, the attorneys do appear to have bent the rules. The top sheets of police reports contain basic information that is routinely released and sometimes published online. In most cases in which LCPD is called, the basic information on a top sheet is provided verbally or in a press release by the department’s public information officer. The exception is information about the police call to Hicks’ house. In its request, i45NOW did not seek any details or the report “narrative” that would contain detailed incident notes from responding officers. Nor were any requests for ambulance call records made. Hicks was able to request the city attorneys, something that residents of the city are likely not able to avail themselves of. Further, Hicks admitted having contact with city staff about the issue even as he claimed he was too ill to respond to i45NOW’s request for comment. In a statement provided to area media after the publication of the i45NOW story, the city claims no action was taken at the request of any council member, which would appear to refute Hicks’ claim that he asked for the AG's opinion. “The city attorney's office acted independently, without direction from any member of the city council,” the statement reads. “The city’s attorney’s office has undertaken the same action in the past, and will continue to do so going forward, for any citizen involving the release of information subject to mandatory exception to disclosure.” i45NOW asked League City Communications Director Sarah Osborne for verification of claims of where residents of the city have been able to request police records not released. She said she would have to check with the city attorney’s office. i45NOW also filed a series of open records requests on Tuesday, with the city seeking records showing when the city asked to withhold the release of police top sheets or dispatch logs within the last two years. While the city has sought to withhold records connected to Hicks’ performance as a council member, the police incident was not part of Hicks official duties as a member of the council. The city legal department represents the city, city officials, and elected officials in their official roles within the city. By Hicks’ admission, the police call to his house was not part of his duties as a council member. In this case, taxpayers are footing the bill for Hicks’ or his family’s actions. Under the law, any private information—including medical information protected from release—must be redacted, and the top sheet reports and call logs must be released. Repeated attempts to reach Hicks were unsuccessful for several days. Eventually, and only after the city sought to block the reports did Hicks send a text message asking i45NOW to delay the publication of the story. He said he had been in the hospital and was treated for diabetic ketoacidosis that “almost killed me.” Hicks did, however, confirm an incident happened that was a “petty argument.” “Regarding what you are seeking, I requested an AG ruling on common law privacy for my spouse and children as it contains petty argument details, which is the only thing anyone will find remotely interesting,” Hicks writes. “I'm just focused on getting my health back on track and staying out of the hospital.” i45NOW owner TJ Aulds - the author of this report - considered Hicks request but eventually informed the councilman the story would publish and offered the councilman another chance to respond. The councilman never returned texts or calls.

Posted by i45NOW TJ Aulds at 2025-01-28 02:21:01 UTC