DPS agent denied transfer to care for terminally ill father

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A veteran law enforcement officer at the Texas Department of Public Safety said he feels betrayed by his own agency after he was repeatedly denied the ability to transfer to the DPS office in his hometown to help take care of his terminally ill father and be with his family.

KXAN reached out to DPS for a comment and will update this story once a response is provided.

Special Agent Calvin Green has been with DPS for nearly 14 years where he primarily worked out of his hometown of El Paso where his family lives.

In April 2021, Green transferred to a new position in Austin with the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in DPS' Capitol Region.

The following year, Green learned that his father, who has been battling multiple sclerosis for years, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder with no known cure, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

“Ever since I was a little boy I looked up to my father who’s a former Marine and a 28-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department. He instilled in me to serve and help others,” Green said.

Green told KXAN he joined the Army right out of high school then went on to work in his hometown of El Paso with local law enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol before ultimately joining DPS.

Green said his father's health began to rapidly decline and the need for him to get home to be with his family became increasingly important.

According to DPS records KXAN obtained, Green submitted his first request to transfer to CID West Texas Region in El Paso on July 4, 2023, which was denied due to a performance evaluation rating of "Needs Improvement" on his most recent annual evaluation.

KXAN asked DPS if it had specific policies related to how command staff makes determinations on approving or denying transfer requests. KXAN also asked if it was standard procedure to deny general or hardship requests based on performance reviews. This story will be updated once a response is received.

Green provided KXAN with a copy of the performance evaluation. The 20-page manager evaluation from 2023 states Green met or exceeded all expectations with the exception of two performance measurements related to his level of productivity.

Green said his productivity has been directly affected by his father's diminishing health and his inability to work and be with his family in El Paso.

The manager's evaluation states that Green's overall performance meets expectations and it acknowledged a Chief's Award that was presented to him in August 2023 for his involvement in the investigation and arrest of a man intending to commit a mass-casualty event.

"His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Criminal Investigations Division and reflect great credit to himself, his division, and the Texas Department of Public Safety," according to the evaluation.

On Sept. 1, 2023, Green's father was placed in hospice care due to his declining health.

Three subsequent transfer requests, including two hardship requests, were all denied by his chain of command because of the performance evaluation, regardless of Green's request to reconsider as well as a letter from the hospice care provider stating "the prognosis and life expectancy are poor."

I find myself isolated and feeling hopeless as I am unable to get back to El Paso to provide help to my family. I stand on God's word and pray that I will be allowed to get to El Paso to serve my father in his final days and provide for my mother's needs as she finds herself alone in this hard time.

Memo from Special Agent Calvin Green to his CID chief on Sept. 13, 2023

In response to Green's memo, the CID chief upheld the previous denials based on performance and wrote:

"Additionally, SA Green's father was ill when he transferred from El Paso to Austin in 2021."

Green told KXAN he felt forced to take a leave of absence because he is unable to do his job while also taking care of his family in El Paso.

According to DPS' website, a "family-oriented work environment' is among one of the top reasons to work for the department. A sentiment that Green said he disagrees with after his experience.

KXAN requested a comment from DPS about this and will update this story once a response is received.

Green told KXAN he has been on leave for two months and is currently re-evaluating his career.

"I need to do what’s best for my family," Green said.