An officer with Oak Ridge North Police Department has been fired after being arrested for multiple counts related to possessing child pornography.
Patrick Hosford, 25, was only employed with Oak Ridge North PD for a short time, having joined the department on Oct. 30, 2024.
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A press release from Montgomery County Pct. 3 Constable Ryan Gable’s Office revealed that deputies were first alerted to Hosford through a tip in November of 2024.
An investigator with the Pct. 3 Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit uncovered that Hosford allegedly possessed the material and was employed as a police officer. On Jan. 8, he was arrested near his home in The Woodlands and charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography.
KPRC 2 discovered a post from the Conroe Police Department Facebook account from Feb. 29, 2024, that indicated that Hosford had graduated from the CPD Academy.
On Thursday, a source with CPD confirmed to KPRC 2′s Corley Peel that Hosford was first hired in July of 2023, and he went through their academy after being hired. After his graduation, they said he resigned after the department decided that he “did not meet its standards.” The source would not elaborate on what standards Hosford didn’t meet.
KPRC 2 also obtained court documents that detailed the content that Hosford is accused of possessing. Authorities detailed multiple videos, many of which featured girls between the estimated ages of two and 13 years old. The descriptions of the material in these videos were extremely graphic and disturbing.
In an earlier press release from Thursday morning, ORNPD confirmed Hosford’s termination and said that evidence revealed Hosford’s involvement in owning the abuse material. The department also said it is working to ensure Hosford is “held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The Oak Ridge North Police Department maintains its unwavering commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of our community, especially its most vulnerable members. This incident is not representative of the dedication and integrity exhibited daily by the men and women of this department,” a paragraph of the press release read.
ORNPD also said it will be reviewing internal processes and city computer systems to prevent future incidents of this nature. The department will also work to ensure that unlawful material was not distributed through city-owned devices in this case.
Hosford is currently being held in Montgomery County Jail with a bond of $500,000.