WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) – After calls for the resignation of Wichita Falls Chief of Police Manuel Borrego following the public address of a controversial arrest that occurred in August, community advocates on both sides have spoken out.
On January 8th, WFPD held a press conference addressing the arrest of 19-year-old Victoria Lang, which occurred on August 26 of 2025.
The affidavit for the arrest of Ms. Lang reads that Wichita Falls police officers were dispatched to the McDonald’s off Holliday Street, where the reporting party stated that they wanted to bar the subject from the property for bathing in the restroom.
It also states that Ms. Lang refused to give the officers her name, which resulted in her being arrested for interference with public duties. Ms. Lang reportedly resisted the arrest and the officers had to forcibly remove her from the restaurant and into the patrol car, adding a resisting arrest charge — a class A misdemeanor.
A day after the arrest, an Internal Affairs Investigation was started by WFPD, with one officer later being fired and the other resigning. The body cam footage and details of the event are now being reviewed by the Texas Rangers in a criminal investigation.
Crystal Washington, an advocate for Ms. Lang, believes both officers, who worked under Chief of Police Manuel Borrego, acted out of compliance. Community members are now calling for Chief Borrego to resign.
How is it that Police Chief Borrego’s officers are not using the training that they’re supposed to have to approach these situations? There are young men and women dying from interactions with the police because they’re not using that training. And this has been, what, 13 years? It’s just time for something new, and that’s fine. Like I said, maybe he just got to where, you know, it’s a lot. And I get that because that’s a long time to deal with a lot of different traumas with the community.
Following a press conference in January, Chief Manuel Borrego describes the conduct displayed by the officers as a “failure of the department.”
News Channel 6 reached out to the City for a response on the situation, and City Manager Jeff Jenkins stated:
The Police Department took immediate administrative action, and an independent criminal investigation is underway. As City Manager, I have confidence in the professionalism of our Police Chief and in the processes we have in place to address this thoroughly and responsibly, while ensuring that accountability, policy review, and corrective action proceed deliberately.
That sentiment is shared by well-known community member Samuel Pak, who said the public needs to be patient before any rash decision is made.
Knowing him and his character, I think if we lose Chief, we lose an incredible person. So there’s a process for these things, but those processes take time. So then the Texas Rangers are in charge of it. And until that gets done, no one can talk about anything. Not the chief, not the police officers, anybody, because it could sway the investigation.
Washington said Ms. Lang now suffers trauma from the arrest that occurred that night, which affects other parts of her life.
And now Victoria Lang, she’s suffering from trauma from this. She’s failing. She failed out in class from her school at Midwestern State University because of this. So it’s affecting…it’s not only affecting Victoria, it’s affecting our communities because this type of behavior has gone on for a long time.
Moving forward, Chief Borrego stated that the department is expanding their training on de-escalation, reviewing policies, and exploring accountability measures.
Chief Borrego also said in a written statement:
“When the Texas Rangers complete their criminal investigation of the former police officers, and we are allowed to release the video, I know people will be as angered as we are by what they witness.”
News Channel 6 reached out to Wichita Falls Mayor Tim Short regarding the incident. He says he stands by Chief Borrego’s statement, as well as the findings of the Texas Rangers.
At the request of the Rangers, Chief Borrego will not be making a statement until the investigation is over.
Stick with News Channel 6 as we learn more on this developing story.
Copyright 2026 KAUZ. All rights reserved.