By Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose

Newly obtained law-enforcement records reveal more about the employment history of Manvel Interim Police Chief Rick Alvarado.

The records include an investigation involving a county-owned television, concerns uncovered during reviews of a county-issued cellphone, paid administrative leave and Alvarado’s 2020 termination from the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office.

However, the records reviewed do not show that Alvarado was criminally charged in connection with those matters.

Alvarado has now responded in detail.

He disputes some of the conclusions drawn from the records. He also says Manvel had his complete background file before hiring him.

Investigation involved county-owned television

One of the earliest Victoria County records involves a county-owned television.

A February 5, 2019 review says an earlier internal investigation examined the possible theft or misappropriation of a television belonging to the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office.

Capt. Charles Williamson had been assigned to determine whether Alvarado committed a criminal offense or violated department policy.

According to the review, Williamson did not believe there was enough evidence to prove that a criminal offense occurred.

However, Williamson identified two possible policy violations.

Sheriff T. Michael O’Connor later ordered Lt. Will Franklin to review the case again.

Franklin was asked to determine whether investigators had missed additional policy violations or unethical conduct.

The review also included a separate complaint involving Alvarado’s conduct while working as an instructor at the Victoria College Police Academy.

Cellphone review uncovered other concerns

The television investigation also led investigators to review information from a county-issued cellphone or SIM card used by Alvarado.

That review uncovered material investigators considered troubling.

However, investigators said some of that material was not directly related to the television allegation.

Franklin’s 2019 review described repeated personal use of county communications equipment.

Investigators also documented derogatory language and conversations involving anabolic steroids.

Franklin concluded that several incidents violated Victoria County Sheriff’s Office policy.

He also wrote that the conduct did not meet the ethical expectations required of sheriff’s office employees or Texas peace officers.

Alvarado placed on administrative leave

Another internal investigation began in August 2020.

On August 4, Alvarado was placed on paid administrative leave while investigators reviewed the matter.

The memo ordered him to remain available by phone during normal work hours and prohibited him from acting on behalf of the sheriff’s office while the investigation continued.

Two days later, investigators examined a county-issued iPhone used by Alvarado.

The forensic report documented more than 1,000 chats and more than 5,000 SMS messages.

It also listed tens of thousands of images and thousands of videos.

Investigators reported finding conversations involving substances identified in the report as Endurabol, RAD 140, Testolone, SARMs and testosterone.

The report also described contacts investigators identified as known steroid or drug users, felons or people associated with criminal activity.

Those descriptions came from the sheriff’s office investigation.

They do not, by themselves, establish criminal conduct by Alvarado.

Investigator questioned missing messages

The cellphone examiner also noted something he considered unusual.

According to the report, investigators found call logs between Alvarado and his wife but no direct SMS messages between them.

The investigator wrote that this could indicate the phone had been cleaned before it was surrendered.

However, the report does not establish who may have deleted information or when.

Investigators also noted that some social-media applications had previously been installed but were no longer on the phone.

Victoria County terminated Alvarado

On August 21, 2020, Victoria County Sheriff Justin Marr notified Alvarado that his employment would be terminated.

The termination notice cited misuse of a county-issued cellphone and conduct unbecoming a sheriff’s office employee.

The letter referenced both the earlier investigation and the newer 2020 review.

Among the findings, investigators cited extensive personal use of the county phone.

They also documented derogatory language involving coworkers and ethnic or racial groups.

Other conversations involved strip clubs, alcohol and steroids.

The termination letter also cited contacts with people investigators described as felons or drug users.

In addition, the sheriff’s office cited a February 2018 conversation involving an alleged $11 payment for each police academy cadet Alvarado sent to a nutrition store.

The termination letter described that as a possible personal benefit connected to his official position.

Those were findings from an employment investigation.

The records reviewed do not show that Alvarado was criminally charged over those allegations.

Alvarado disputes steroid allegations

Alvarado says the termination followed a change in leadership at the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office.

He says the internal investigation focused, in part, on concerns involving steroid use.

Alvarado says he was undergoing medically supervised Testosterone Replacement Treatment at the time.

He says that treatment included prescription medications and over-the-counter supplements.

Alvarado also says he offered to provide medical records and submit to a drug screen.

According to Alvarado, both offers were declined.

He says he later contested the allegations.

However, he does not dispute using the county-issued cellphone for personal matters.

Alvarado says employees commonly used one phone for both personal and county business under previous leadership.

He says the new administration chose to enforce the policy differently.

“I take full ownership for violating this policy,” Alvarado wrote in his response.

Alvarado says he received honorable F-5

Alvarado also says he received an honorable discharge designation on his F-5 employment separation record.

He argues that his continued TCOLE licensing and law-enforcement career are important context.

The records I have reviewed so far do not include the final F-5 form confirming that designation.

Therefore, I am attributing that statement directly to Alvarado.

Katy Police voicemail raises separate questions

A voicemail recording provided to me during this investigation appears to contain a message from a Katy Police Department representative discussing Alvarado’s application to that department.

The caller says Alvarado interviewed with Katy Police in September 2020.

During the voicemail, the caller says Alvarado was “kind of vague on a couple of IAs” involving the Bay City Police Department.

“So we passed on him,” the caller says.

The caller also says Katy had several strong applicants in that group and therefore did not continue further into Alvarado’s background.

The voicemail also says Katy had a personal history statement completed by Alvarado.

The caller offered to provide a copy of that document.

The recording does not establish that Alvarado made a false statement during the interview.

It does show that questions about his prior internal-affairs history came up during Katy’s hiring process before the department decided not to move forward with him.

Alvarado responds to Bay City investigation

Alvarado also provided more information about a 2008 Bay City internal-affairs investigation.

He says the allegations were unfounded and resulted in no discipline.

According to Alvarado, the complaint came from a man he had previously arrested for assault causing bodily injury involving family violence.

Alvarado says the man later confronted him while he was off duty and tried to provoke a fight.

He says he de-escalated the situation and walked away.

According to Alvarado, the man later tried to hit him with a vehicle and made threats.

Alvarado says independent witnesses supported his version of events.

He says the investigation was then closed without discipline or even verbal counseling.

I am continuing to review records related to that Bay City matter.

2022 disclosure involved Alvarado

Alvarado’s Victoria County employment history later became relevant in a criminal case.

A June 2022 disclosure referenced information connected to the investigation that led to his termination.

The material involved concerns about possible illicit drug use and conduct unbecoming an officer.

Alvarado says he recently reviewed the disclosure connected to Cause Number 20-05-3213-D.

He says the request involved employment records that were available for review by the court.

Alvarado also says he confirmed with the Victoria County District Attorney’s Office that he is not on its “Brady List.”

He says he has testified in several criminal cases since then.

I have not independently confirmed that statement with the Victoria County District Attorney’s Office.

A disclosure of potential impeachment material does not automatically mean an officer committed a crime.

It also does not automatically mean an officer is permanently barred from testifying.

Personnel file also shows positive career history

The newly obtained personnel file contains favorable information about Alvarado as well.

That context matters.

Alvarado joined the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office in August 2014 after previously serving with the Bay City Police Department.

He later became an investigator.

A 2016 performance evaluation described his reports as clearly written and accurate.

The evaluation also noted his work on sexual assault and child sexual-abuse cases.

In addition, Alvarado worked with outside agencies and served as commander of the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team.

Records show he earned advanced law-enforcement certifications and accumulated thousands of hours of training.

Therefore, the disciplinary records represent only one part of a much longer law-enforcement career.

Alvarado says Manvel had complete file

Alvarado later joined the Manvel Police Department and eventually moved into executive leadership.

He now serves as Interim Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police.

Alvarado says he was fully open during Manvel’s hiring process.

“The city had my complete background file,” he wrote.

That statement is significant because one of the main questions raised during this investigation was what Manvel knew before hiring and promoting him.

Alvarado says the city had the information.

Alvarado defends leadership record

Alvarado also pointed to his more than 20 years in law enforcement.

He cited experience in investigations, command, tactical operations, training and policy.

He says his leadership approach centers on accountability, transparency and what he described as “Extreme Ownership.”

Alvarado says he has focused on building a professional and accountable police department in Manvel.

He also says he believes public trust and responsible use of public resources are central to his leadership.

Questions still remain

Alvarado’s response answers several important questions.

However, the records still leave areas that warrant additional review.

One question involves what documentation Manvel received during its background investigation.

Another involves whether the city reviewed the Victoria County termination records and later disclosure material.

There is also the question of what Alvarado disclosed to different agencies during separate hiring processes.

The Katy voicemail raises one set of questions.

Alvarado’s statement about being fully transparent with Manvel provides his answer regarding another.

Those two hiring processes occurred at different times and involved different agencies.

Therefore, they should not automatically be treated as contradictory.

The records also show both positive performance history and serious disciplinary findings.

That distinction is important.

Prior investigations alone do not prove that Alvarado is unqualified to lead a police department.

At the same time, when a law-enforcement officer rises to the highest position in a department, the public has an interest in knowing what appears in that officer’s employment history.

The public also has an interest in knowing what city officials reviewed before making that decision.

I am continuing to review records and seek additional documentation.

This story will be updated if new information becomes available.

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