Humble city officials confirmed this week that Police Chief Dan Zientek has resigned. His departure comes after nearly two months on unpaid administrative leave while undergoing an independent investigation into his conduct.
Zientek had served with the Humble Police Department since June 2022 and was promoted to chief in June 2025. His tenure as chief lasted just over seven months.
The first signs of trouble surfaced in early December, when city leaders scheduled a closed-door executive session to discuss personnel matters involving both the police chief and city manager. At the time, City Manager Jason Stuebe confirmed the meeting was prompted by the results of an internal employee survey conducted within the police department. While the findings were not made public, Stuebe acknowledged that a complaint involving the department had been received during the review process.
Initially, Zientek characterized the survey as a routine evaluation and said he welcomed feedback. However, city officials declined to elaborate on the complaint or whether additional steps would be taken.
Days later, the situation escalated. Zientek was placed on paid administrative leave, which the city soon converted to unpaid leave after officials said new allegations had surfaced beyond the scope of the original inquiry. Stuebe described those allegations as severe, though no specifics were released.
Around the same time, questions emerged regarding a private company called Acquire Training Solutions, which listed Zientek as its chief operating officer and advertised law enforcement training courses offered at Humble Police Department headquarters for a fee. City officials told reporters the city was unaware of the business, had not approved any for-profit events at the department, and had neither paid nor received funds connected to the company.
The city also said Zientek had not disclosed or sought approval for outside employment, as required under municipal personnel policies. Whether taxpayer-funded equipment or federal licenses were used in connection with the training courses was cited as a potential subject of the ongoing investigation.
Additional reporting later revealed concerns over departmental spending. According to city officials, nearly $40,000 in travel and training expenses were charged over a two-year period by Captain Twyla Kimberlin, Zientek’s wife, who had been promoted twice in a four-month span under his leadership. City leaders said those expenses exceeded Zientek’s by approximately $20,000 and were being reviewed for irregularities.
Throughout the investigation, city leadership and department officials declined to give on-camera interviews, citing the integrity of the outside legal review. No public findings have been released, and city officials have not disclosed whether the investigation has concluded or what, if any, disciplinary actions may follow.
Following Zientek’s resignation, Captain Kris Battenfield, a 20-year veteran of the department, was named interim chief. City officials say a search for a permanent police chief is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
