A budget memo released Tuesday may reorganize next year’s budget for the Dallas Police Department. In the memo Council Member Adam Bazaldua said “We hear many of our constituents’ calls to ‘defund’ the Dallas Police Department.”
The memo asks City Manager T.C. Broadnax to redirect dollars from the police department. It states: “We ask you to present options that reallocate public safety funding…”.
The city is scheduled to hold a budget workshop next week on June 17, during which the council members say they want to hear new ideas.
The memo was signed by all but four council members. In perhaps another sign of the political divide between north and south Dallas, all four represent more affluent north Dallas. Those who did not sign include Adam McGough, Cara Mendelsohn, Jennifer Staubach Gates, and David Blewett.
Budget Memo Preface
Beyond the upcoming budget memo for the next fiscal year though is a discussion taking place at today’s meeting on expanding the Police budget by an additional $6.5M.
Police budget issues have become a hot point since Dallas Police have been found to be assaulting innocent bystanders at George Floyd protests and also caught lying about police activity at those events.
According to a NBC DFW report, the annual Fair Park Fourth celebration in Dallas has been canceled.
Organizers cited the novel coronavirus pandemic and public safety fears as reasons for canceling the annual celebration.
In a tweet, organizers said ” We look forward to Fair Park Fourth in 2021.”
Fair Park News
The State Fair of Texas will not open the Midway over the holiday weekend.
“We’re doing that so that our team can fully focus on the scenarios surrounding this year’s State Fair of Texas in hopes that we will still be able to open the fair,” said Karissa Condoianis, senior vice president of public relations for the State Fair of Texas.
She continued: “At this time, we are not planning to operate the Midway on July Fourth.” Later this week, we will bring other entertainment news.
The Community Police Oversight Board will meet on June 9th from 5:00 pm-7:30 pm. However, they have not responded to numerous people who have requested to speak.
With less than eight hours prior to the meeting no agenda or details on the public comment period has been released to those asking for these details. Again, the City of Dallas and Dallas Police Department appear to be stifling comments.
Those wishing to comment can include their comments in the comments section here and they will be forwarded to the City of Dallas and Community Police Oversight Board. As has been noted in other places, the City of Dallas has repeatedly stifled public discussion and lied about official actions by the police department.
Watch or Listen to Community Police Oversight Board
Dallas Police funding is up in the air. Rumors swirl that Dallas City Council will defund DPD after Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano indicated a noon announcement today.
Chief of Police Renee Hall’s office had no comment.
Dallas County Schools are not done stopping careers short.
Federal investigators proved last week they are not finished with the Dallas County Schools scandal. Louisiana attorney Richard Reynolds became the latest to join the growing list of photo enforcement felons after he entered a guilty plea in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas to the charge of misprison of a felony.
Misprison of a felony refers to a crime where someone actively conceals a criminal conspiracy and does not report it to authorities. Reynolds helped school bus stop-arm camera operator Force Multiplier Systems bribe politicians and public officials. The return was their endorsement of a lucrative technology.
Reynolds attempted to hide over $800,000 in bribe payments from Force Multiplier CEO Robert Carl Leonard Jr to Ricky Dale Sorrells, the superintendent of Dallas County Schools. Sorrells ensured that his agency approved the $70 million bus camera contract with Force Multiplier. That move ultimately bankrupted Dallas County Schools.
According to the plea, Reynolds admitted his role was to “make it appear as if Leonard and Force Multiplier Solutions were not paying a public official with whom they were doing business.” Reynolds set up shell companies that paid Sorrells “consulting” fees, though Sorrells performed no work.
Another cut-out, Slater Washburn Swartwood Sr, concealed an additional $2 million in bribes to Dallas County Schools Board President Larry Duncan, and Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway, who was the most vocal advocate of photo enforcement on Dallas City Council. For his part, Caraway received $450,000 in cash.
Criminal investigators at the Internal Revenue Service were credited for “following the money trail to uncover ill-gotten gains” that exposed the network of shell companies used to hide public corruption.
Under the plea agreement, Reynolds was charged with a lesser offense that carries the potential sentence of just one year in prison and a fine of $250,000. The other co-conspirators have been sentenced.
Swartwood is scheduled for release from a Dallas halfway house on November 22. Caraway is set to leave Big Springs FCI on April 28, 2023. Leonard is at Oakdale low-security FCI until July 7, 2025. Sorrells is at FCI Beaumont, a minimum security satellite camp until September 2, 2025. Duncan has already served a short term of house arrest.
Dallas County Schools
Dallas County Schools (DCS) was a taxpayer funded school bus transportation government agency. It was founded in 1846 and offered full service and/or supplemental student transportation services to other government entities and localm private, and charter schools in and around Dallas County, Texas. They also served part of Denton County as well. DCS was one of the top student transportation fleets in the nation and operated a fleet of approximately 2,000 buses. They transported more than 75,000 children to and from school safely each day.
Other Side Dallas will update stories on Dallas ISD and other school matters as information becomes available.
One lawyer is supporting George Floyd protestors one case at a time: Jasmine Crockett.
Crockett, who is also running for Texas State Representative in House District 100 has been so vocal in her support of protestors many ink her number onto their arms prior to joining local protests.
George Floyd Protestors Attacked Numerous Ways
The Other Side Dallas has several articles about Dallas police acting violently and inappropriately since local protests began. In one case a local Community Police Oversight Board member asked for information on the training and plan used at the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. An article yesterday even showed where the police chief was lying to the public about traffic being impeded – it was Dallas Police blocking both sides of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge – and who initiated conflict.
Assaulting Citizens is not new for Dallas Police. As time goes by victims names become faint memories. One such person is James Harrison.
Dallas Police officers shot Harrison when he walked to his front door carrying a screwdriver in 2015 per video released of the deadly incident.
Harrison, 38, can be seen in the police body-camera video walking to the front door. This is after his mother opens it for the officers and walks outside past them. Harrison, who suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, was in distress that day and his mother called 9-1-1 for assistance. Family members told reporters from local news station WFAA the’ve had to call the police on Harrison before.
Harrison came to the door fiddling with a screwdriver.
WARNING: Graphic violence.
“When you’re dealing with somebody that’s mentally ill, you’re not supposed to agitate, you’re not supposed to move fast, you’re not supposed to inflame,” said Geoff Henley. He was the Harrison family attorney retained in the wrongful death lawsuit against the Dallas Police Department.
The City of Dallas offered a settlement to the Harrison family that was “so humiliating” per an employee with the city who has direct knowledge said is was declined outright.
The video shows officers carrying tasers. The less-lethal weapons were never deployed or considered per the video available.
“They didn’t acknowledge him, they just acknowledged the screwdriver,” said David Harrison, the victim’s brother. “Immediately after [my mother] got out of the way … it went from zero to a hundred.”
Dallas Police Assaulting Citizens Not New
Another tie in to today’s police brutality claims is the lack of assistance by officers. In the video it appears officers were shocked Harrison was still alive.
“He’s alive…he’s alive.” “Should we cuff him?”
Like in the George Floyd protests, officers seem ready to use violence, but not their first aid training. It is unclear how someone is denied the basic humanity of treatment.
Chief Renee Hall has claimed the crowd was unruly and was “attacking the police.” These statements are clearly false.
In this video, the crowd is passive. They are walking about trapped with officers on both ends keteling them in.
The front line is motionless, kneeling – they are literally doing nothing aggressive.
Then the police begin gassing the marchers – with tear gas or smoke is unclear, but the video coming out now is important.
Police Lied – Again
These protestors are marching against police brutality and the police respond with brutality. This is not the first time – this week – where Dallas Police have been less than honest about incidents. Earlier this week there was a gentleman who Dallas police take to the ground and beat while prone and defenseless on the ground.
Alarming Behavior from Dallas City Council is how one viewer described the exchanges between members of Dallas City Council and city staff on Friday, June 5, 2020.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson had a lot of questions for Police Chief Renee Hall during a special meeting about the police response to protests. Before the meeting began two hundred local citizens spoke out about the city’s reaction to ongoing protests. They were almost all outraged about what happened on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.
During Friday’s meeting, the mayor wanted to know what tactics were used when more than 600 people were arrested on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge on Monday. This line of questioning is similar to that asked by Jose Rivas, the District 7 representative on the Dallas Community Police Oversight Board.
Later in the meeting though there was open yelling between City Council members including Mayor Eric Johnson, District 4 member Carolyn King Arnold, and District 7 member Adam Bazaldua. It also included City Manager TC Broadnax.
Alarming Behavior From City Council During June 5 Emergency Meeting
Dallas City Council: Wednesday June 10, 2020
Dallas City Council is supposed to also address and possibly vote on the Visit Dallas contract this coming Wednesday, June 10. It is unclear if that item will remain on the agenda, but many of the same people who pushed to not express solidarity with Black Lives Matter now want an eight figure contract for Visit Dallas, who has a long record of financial problems.
Renee Hall appears to be in trouble. A Dallas Community Police Oversight Board member, Jose Rivas, is seeking answers from Chief Renee Hall about the personnel and their training after another bystander was hit by less lethal rounds Saturday, May 30 and lost his eye, seven teeth, and had his jaw broken.
Rivas notes that these personnel should be identifiable by Chief Hall’s own records used prior to the release of less lethal rounds. He is also asking for copies of their Texas licensing records.
Brandon Saenz is a 26 year old black man. He, his family, and lawyers are demanding Police Chief Renee Hall identify the person or persons responsible and denounce the incident. In a press conference earlier in the week though, Chief Hall says she is “not here to be liked.”
Brandon was out peacefully protesting police brutality and now he’s a victim,” Washington said. “We can’t continue to have innocent individuals injured by police officers who have taken an oath to serve and protect.”
Police Chief Hall is also in trouble for her decision to kettle protestors on the Margaret Hunt Bridge earlier in the week. Hundreds were injured and detained by Dallas Police Department officers – despite information that District Attorney John Creuzot would not prosecute – after peacefully protesting in Dallas outside the curfew zone.
