Tolleson Union High School District Responds to Officer's Claims
The dispute over Officer Eric Hendrix’s role as a School Resource Officer deepens, with conflicting claims, harassment allegations, and unanswered questions about a use-of-force incident.
Just a week ago, State 48 News exclusively reported on Tolleson Police Officer Eric Hendrix's emotional plea to the City of Tolleson, alleging workplace harassment by Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent Jeremy Calles. Hendrix claimed he was pressured to leave his School Resource Officer position after arresting a student involved in a domestic violence incident. Despite being cleared of misconduct by the Tolleson Police Department, Hendrix described a hostile work environment and alleged surveillance by district officials. Police Chief Mendoza supported Hendrix, labeling the situation as harassment.
Before the Tolleson City Council's Executive Session on February 11th, legal counsel informed officials that Officer Eric Hendrix had requested a public hearing for his employment matter, leading to his testimony on alleged mistreatment being addressed in open session.
The Tolleson Police Department alleges SRO Eric Hendrix faced retaliation for reporting a firearm incident, with district officials pushing for his removal and the SRO program’s termination, prompting police to condemn their actions and reaffirm commitment to school safety.
Tolleson Officials Face Scrutiny Over School Resource Officer Investigation
This afternoon, Tolleson Union High School District issued a response through a press release.
It begins, a September 27, 2024, use-of-force incident involving Tolleson Union High School Resource Officer (SRO) Eric Hendrix has led to growing tensions between the Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) and the City of Tolleson. District officials say they raised concerns over what they describe as a lack of transparency and accountability in the Tolleson’s handling of the case.
Following an internal review, TUHSD determined that Officer Hendrix’s actions were excessive and inappropriate. On October 18, 2024, Superintendent Jeremy Calles contacted Tolleson City Manager Reyes Medrano, requesting a discussion regarding the officer’s continued presence on campus. The matter was then redirected to Pilar Sinawi, who stated that the Tolleson Police Chief or a member of his team would address the concerns.
“Despite Superintendent Calles raising concerns and requests that Officer Hendrix be removed from SRO assignment at the District, Officer Hendrix remained on Tolleson’s campus throughout Chief Mendoza’s investigation. The City of Tolleson failed to provide a timeline for the investigation’s conclusion or acknowledge the impact of the officer’s continued presence on the student involved.”
Sara Clawson | Public Relations Specialist | Tolleson Union High School District
The release states the focus of the dispute shifted when Police Chief Mendoza sent a letter to TUHSD on December 9, 2024, raising concerns about an unrelated incident from September 16.
LEEZAH SUN - SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD PRESIDENT
In our initial report, Tolleson Police Department said despite being cleared of misconduct, SRO Eric Hendrix faced removal pressure from district officials, later requesting reassignment due to a hostile work environment, while Leezah Sun - now Tolleson Union HSD Board President - also pushed to end the SRO program, prompting police condemnation and a commitment to school safety.
The school district claims Tolleson Police deepened the controversy on February 13th of last week when Lieutenant Lee Garrett made what it calls misleading accusations against TUHSD Governing Board President Leezah Sun, falsely suggesting she was involved in the dispute despite not being on the board at the time the issue first arose. District officials denounced the statement as inaccurate and misleading.
Here is the Tolleson Police press release for your review.
Adding to the tension, according to the the school district, the City of Tolleson issued the above press release suggesting that Superintendent Calles’ concerns only emerged after Mendoza’s December letter—despite documentation showing the district raised the issue as early as October 18th. The city also stated that it had reviewed body camera footage from the September 27th incident but, as the district says, has not provided the footage to the district or its independent investigator.
“If the City of Tolleson maintains that Officer Hendrix acted appropriately, it can resolve this matter transparently by releasing the body camera footage from both Officer Hendrix and Officer Diana Rivas. Interviews conducted by the District’s investigator indicate that no prior efforts were made to obtain eyewitness accounts, raising further concerns about the integrity of the City’s review.
“Once the District’s independent investigation concludes, the full report will be made public, and appropriate actions regarding the SRO contract will be determined.”
Sara Clawson | Public Relations Specialist | Tolleson Union High School District
As the district's independent investigation approaches its conclusion, TUHSD confirms that the full report will be released to the public, and potential changes to the district’s SRO contract will be evaluated.
THE MORE YOU KNOW.
State 48 News is following this story closely. We are awaiting body cam video from the Tolleson Police Department. And we have requested an interview with Chief Mendoza.