Sanger ISD provides further clarification and reassurance regarding recent arrest of former SISD police officer

Sanger ISD emailed a letter to parents and guardians on Thursday, January 15th. See the letter below:

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

We are writing to provide further clarification and reassurance regarding the recent arrest of Israel Demello, a former Sanger ISD Police Officer. We recognize that news of this nature is concerning, and our goal is to ensure you have the most accurate information possible. While Officer Demello was most recently assigned to Chisholm Trail Elementary, he served at various campuses during his employment as part of a standard practice designed to help staff become familiar with different students and locations—similar to how educators may move grade levels or buildings—rather than because of any incidents that had occurred with him. Officer Demello was never moved, reassigned, or placed on a specific campus due to alleged inappropriate misconduct. 

The allegations in this case involve misconduct with a student, which, according to currently available information, occurred after school hours. To date, no elementary students were found to be a part of any misconduct. The district is aware that Sanger PD has identified the date of offense of January 1, 2024; however, according to Sanger PD, the date signifies that the alleged misconduct occurred sometime in 2024. The district was first made aware of concerns late in the day on November 19, 2025. It is important to note that Officer Demello has not been present on any district campus since he was placed on administrative leave on November 20, 2025. For specific details regarding the formal criminal charges, we encourage you to reference the Sanger Police Department. 

To address circulating rumors and provide clarity, we are aware of statements on social media suggesting that parents or community members had raised to the district prior concerns about Officer Demello. We want to clarify that these claims are false. In addition, his initial hiring followed state law requirements to include rigorous TCOLE law enforcement procedures. This comprehensive multi-step process involved background investigations by a third-party company, criminal history checks, and fingerprinting. 

The safety of our students remains our absolute priority, and we take all allegations seriously. We encourage you or anyone you know who may possess details relevant to this matter to contact law enforcement officials. Please reach out to the City of Sanger Police Department at 940-458-7444 or via email at CID@sangertexas.org to share any information. 

We remain committed to transparency and to maintaining a safe, supportive environment for every student. Thank you for your continued partnership and for your role in keeping our school community safe. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Tommy Hunter 

Superintendent, Sanger ISD 

tommy.hunter@sangerisd.net