San Angelo Police Chief Addresses Internal Investigations Involving Two Officers

SAN ANGELO, TX — Police Chief Travis Griffith held a press conference Friday morning to address two sensitive internal investigations—one involving an officer who resigned following inappropriate communications with a student, and another who was arrested for failing to report suspected child abuse.

Chief Griffith opened the briefing by speaking over his commitment to transparency and accountability, stating that public employees must be held to high standards and that difficult issues must be addressed openly.

SRO Resigns Following Internal Investigation

The first case dates back to March 13, when the San Angelo Police Department was called to investigate a report of an inappropriate relationship between an educator and a student at Lake View High School. During that investigation, the department’s Criminal Investigations Division discovered separate communications between the same student and one of SAPD’s school resource officers.

The officer was identified as Jonathan Montana. Griffith said there was no evidence of criminal conduct, but the nature of the communication warranted serious scrutiny. Montana was placed on administrative leave, and SAPD conducted an internal investigation alongside a criminal investigation by the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. The findings were also reviewed by the district attorney’s office.

“No wrongdoing was found through any of the criminal investigations,” Griffith said. “But the conduct did not meet our department’s standards.”

Montana resigned during the course of the investigation, which was closed upon his departure.

Officer Arrested for Failing to Report Suspected Child Abuse

The second case involved Officer Rodrigo Hernandez, who was arrested Thursday after a supervisor reviewing body camera footage discovered he had failed to meet mandatory reporting standards in a suspected child abuse case on March 26.

Griffith described the lapse as “gross negligence,” and said SAPD paused its internal investigation and referred the case to the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. After review, the Tom Green County Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint.

Hernandez is charged with Knowingly Fail to Make Required Child Abuse Report, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas law. The statute applies to professionals such as law enforcement officers, teachers, and medical staff who are legally obligated to report suspected abuse.

Initially placed on paid administrative leave, Hernandez has since been placed on unpaid leave under Texas Government Code §154.056. Griffith said that this action does not imply guilt and that due process is being followed.

“We’re going to make sure that students and youth—the most vulnerable of citizens—are protected,” Griffith said. “Regardless of whether you’re the police or an average person, we will hold the standard fairly across the board.”

Griffith: Cases Are Isolated but Taken Seriously

Chief Griffith stressed that while both cases are serious, they do not reflect the broader work of the department’s officers.

“These two cases are in the one percentile of our department,” Griffith said. “They do not represent the totality of the hard work done every day—but I will not stand by when we have actions that do not meet our standards or violate the law.”

SAPD has resumed its internal investigation into Hernandez’s conduct. Updates will be provided as the case progresses.