Investigation Finds Allegations Against Officer Unsubstantiated

AUSTIN, TX—On March 14, 2026, CLEAT member and San Marcos Police Officer Jaciel Cortina responded to a call for service from the mother of a teenage girl reporting her daughter was attempting to enter a truck with two unknown adult males at 3:55am. Officer Cortina responded, located the vehicle in the area, and initiated a traffic stop. It was unclear at that time whether the teen subject was inside the vehicle. The driver and passenger were detained and subsequently arrested for interference with public duties based on the interaction that occurred during the detention. The teenage girl was not located in the vehicle, but the occupants were, in fact, the individuals in contact with the teen that evening and were located near her residence.

CLEAT attorneys are representing the officer, and a comprehensive inquiry was conducted by the Chief concurrently with an Internal Affairs investigation. It was reported by the media that Officer Cortina was untruthful in his probable cause affidavit, along with several other accusations. All publicly reported accusations were unfounded and unsubstantiated. The investigation revealed that Officer Cortina had reasonable suspicion, conducted a lawful traffic stop, executed a lawful arrest, did not violate the subject’s civil rights, and there was no evidence that Officer Cortina was untruthful at any point, to include the content of the probable cause affidavit.

Officer Cortina accepted a 24-hour suspension for minor policy violations discovered during the inquiry, none of which were part of the initial accusations. This incident will result in policy changes within the police department with the hopes of protecting officers from political fallout in future cases of this nature.

We stand by Officer Cortina’s actions and will continue to assist our members during these times of immense political pressure.

About CLEAT: Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) is the largest statewide law enforcement association in Texas, dedicated to providing legal protection, legislative advocacy, and professional support for law enforcement professionals statewide and consisting of over 28,000 members. With a commitment to protecting the rights of officers and ensuring they have the resources needed to serve their communities effectively, CLEAT stands at the forefront of law enforcement representation. For more information, visit www.cleat.org.

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