Wichita Falls ISD Police Chief Placed on Leave

The school district has placed Police Chief Anthony Smith on administrative leave during an investigation.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Administration

Wichita Falls ISD Police Chief Placed on Leave

Live Poll

Do you trust your local school district to handle personnel investigations of high-level officials transparently?

Wichita Falls ISD has officially placed Police Chief Anthony Smith on administrative leave. The district is currently conducting an investigation into a personnel matter involving the chief.

Why it matters

The administrative action follows a formal personnel investigation launched by district leadership. Officials have clarified that the matter is internal and does not pertain to the conduct of students.

Wichita Falls ISD confirmed the status of Police Chief Anthony Smith following a personnel review. District leadership stated the active investigation is unrelated to any student activity.

The players

Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith serves as the Chief of Police for the Wichita Falls Independent School District.

Wichita Falls ISD

Wichita Falls ISD is the local public school district responsible for the administration of educational services in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The details

The school district initiated the investigation into a personnel matter involving Anthony Smith to ensure proper procedure. Administrators have explicitly confirmed that student safety was never compromised at any point during this period.

Timeline

  1. October 7, 2026: District officials confirmed the police chief is on administrative leave.

Culture Shift

School districts often utilize administrative leave as a neutral measure while conducting internal personnel reviews. This process aligns with the Texas Education Code standards for school district personnel investigations to maintain professional accountability.

The district maintains that school operations continue as scheduled without disruption to student safety or daily routines. Parents should expect standard security presence at campus locations to remain unchanged during the administrative review.

The takeaway

Administrative leave serves as a precautionary measure to allow districts to review personnel matters without bias. Residents can expect the district to finalize its findings according to established board policies.

Further reading

For more information on local school governance, visit the Administration section.

Live Poll

Do you trust your local school district to handle personnel investigations of high-level officials transparently?