Dallas Police – Page 2 – The Other Side Dallas

July 25, 2023July 25, 2023

Santos Vive

Santos Vive coalition received a city proclamation yesterday at City Hall in the Flag Room in a ceremony filled with speeches, but questioning change.

The proclamation ceremony was attended by dozens and a wide array of media. Notably absent was Mayor Eric Johnson.

The city honored the life and legacy of Santos Rodriguez. Rodriguez died a twelve year old, shot and killed, by Dallas police officer Darrell Lee Cain fifty years ago.

The city issued a proclamation designating Monday as “Santos Rodriguez Day.”

Santos and his brother David, were detained by police investigating the theft of $8 of gasoline.

Officer Cain played Russian Roulette with the pair trying to force a confession. He was arrested and convicted of murder with malice, but served half his five year sentence.

At Monday’s cremony, current police chief, Eddie Garcia noted, “This was an individual that never deserved to wear the badge.”

Vive Santos

The Santos Vive Coalition consists of professors from Dallas College, KERA, The Dallas Mavericks organization, and numerous others.

The week’s memorial will continue with lectures, a film screening, and special radio program hosted by EcoLatino.

July 24, 2023July 24, 2023

Santos Rodriguez Proclamation

A Santos Rodriguez memorial proclamation occurs today in the flag room at Dallas City Hall at 10:00AM.

Council Member Jesse Moreno (D2) will proclaim July 24 as Día de Santos Rodriguez.

The event will consist of coalition affiliated organization representatives speaking on this event’s historical significance.

The Santos Vive Coalition is a conglomeration of organizations intent on the preservation of the history of this incident.

Santos Rodriguez Life

On the morning of July 24, 1973, 30-year-old Dallas Police Officer Darrell Lee Cain murdered Rodriguez, a 12-year-old who was sitting in Cain’s vehicle.

Cain shot Rodriguez while playing Russian Roulette trying to force a confession from he and his brother.

Cain was sentenced to the minimum five years in prison for murder with malice. He was released in September 1979 He served just two-and-a-half-years of his sentence.

The proclamation comes as another case gets ready to go before a civil jury in September – the case of Tony Timpa.

July 19, 2023July 19, 2023

RIP Chief David Kunkle

Chief David Kunkle will be laid to rest today after battling Lewy body dementia. He was 72.

The funeral for the former Chief of Police in Dallas and Arlington will be later today.

Kunkle’s life and legacy will be celebrated today at 10:00AM at the Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home.

Services will be available by livestream.

RIP Chief David Kunkle

Kunkle served as Dallas’ top cop from 2004 until his retirement in 2010.

Kunkle is credited for improving officer morale and enacting smart policies that created nationwide ripples.

His first assignment was Dallas’ Northwest Patrol Division in 1972. He also served as police chief in Grand Prairie and Arlington.

In a written statement, Chief Eddie García of Kunkle, “he left a legacy and very high bar to achieve for any leader of this organization.”

In an statement to Dallas Police, Garcia said Kunkle was a progressive chief who was “willing to make tough decisions.”

Garcia continued, “His leadership echoes today in how we police our city and in our current policies and procedures.”

Kunkle was also police chief for Arlington. A statement by their city said in part Kunkle was a “remarkable man and public servant.” He also served as Deputy City Manager there.

In 2011, he ran for mayor against Mike Rawlings. Former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller wrote an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News calling him Dallas’ “unlikely savior.”

May 9, 2023May 9, 2023

Ransomware Impacts

Ransomware impacts on Dallas Police and Dallas Fire Rescue are real and being felt by responders and 911 callers.

First responders are taking longer to get to 911 calls due to last Wednesday’s ransomware attack on the City of Dallas.

Firefighters are currently navigating to incident locations with personal phone GPS systems since the city system is down.

They are also having to work with dispatchers manually dispatching units instead of the automated system that would prioritize the closest available unit.

Jim McDade, President of the Dallas Firefighters Association, said “there are some major safety concerns.” He then went on to say the “the outage is not catastrophic for residents.”

He continued, “there’s really not too much of an impact on service delivery,” but regularly DFFA says seconds count when units are responding.

The mixed messaging has some citizens concerned they aren’t getting the whole story.

Dallas firefighters routinely lobby for more staffing and stations. The usual refrain is seconds matter in emergencies. It is clear the ransomware attack is not an emergency for union officials.

Ransomware Impacts

The ransomware attack is one more in a long line of IT problems for the City of Dallas.

Mayor Johnson has overseen the loss of significant amounts of police and other data from city servers and no clear answer on culpability.

March 31, 2023March 31, 2023

Dallas Police Transparency

Dallas Police transparency is coming says Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia in a statement on a new public dashboard.

Dallas Police Department revealed its new use of force database yesterday.

The website can be viewed here.

There is a new tool for citizens to monitor Dallas Police Department use of force data. The dashboard will provide current data back to 2014.

“You know, it’s the most polarizing issue in American law enforcement, is use of force,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.

“We’re trying to be as transparent as possible,” Garcia added.

Transparency is key when it comes to maintaining trust between law enforcement and the community per Chief Garcia.

He said bringing the database to the public was an effort that took about two years to complete.

The public will find it breaks down data into the subject’s gender, race, age, and area the incidents happened.

DPD administrators said the information will help the public know what is occurring. It will also help DPD measure if there’s evidence of questionable cultures of policing.

“There’s things in the report that there are disparities in some areas,” Said Garcia.

He went on “we found that there is no disparate treatment when they utilize force, regardless of race or ethnicity.”

Dallas Police Transparency Will Be Change

The new transparency does not reflect recent activity by Dallas Police to make up policy on the fly. Cases of protecting First Amendment rights have been covered by Other Side Dallas previously.

There have been other efforts by Chief Garcia to reduce the public’s connection to real time police data.

October 24, 2022October 23, 2022

Oak Cliff Murder 2022

Oak Cliff murder this weekend reminds many of Teilor Johnson and the murder and burning of Quincy Wyatt.

Teilor Johnson is the daughter of Maxie Johnson, the Dallas ISD school board trustee, who has consistent issues hanging out with known felons.

Trustee Johnson spends significant time with Dominique Alexander. Alexander is the “CEO minister” of the Next Generation Action Network.

NGAN’s “CEO minister” Dominique Alexander is a convicted felon after charges of assault against a child. It is not obvious his relationship with the Dallas schools.

Alexander spent many hours with former Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall.

However, the situation in East Oak Cliff is very similar to the story involving Maxie Johnson’s daughter, Teilor Johnson.

Oak Cliff Murder Details

Dallas Fire Rescue “found a small SUV engulfed in flames.”

The SUV was in a wooded area off the 4600 block of Burma Road before 8:00 PM.

Dallas Police officials state one person was inside the vehicle. The Dallas County Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.

Authorities are notifying next of kin prior to releasing the identity of the victim inside the SUV.

Meanwhile, Teilor Johnson is out on bail currently in what some call a sweetheart deal.

It is unclear why John Creuzot’s office declined to keep her in custody.

Likewise, in another situation, Johnson’s son died in August 2019. This information comes from multiple police and media reports at the time.

Christopher Whitfield Johnson graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in 2015. He was 21 years old when he died in east Oak Cliff.

Police found his body lying in the middle of the street in the 3600 block of Utah Avenue at about 1:30AM in August 2019. A chest wound killed the younger Johnson.

Christopher Johnson is said to have been shot after attempted robbery.

July 25, 2022July 25, 2022

Love Field Active Shooter

Love Field active shooter incident is being reported both in local and national media.

Members of the public are being evacuated per sources on scene.

The Dallas Police Department says, “Dallas police are investigating, and will update media when information becomes available,” police said.

The Federal Aviation Administration has placed a ground stop for all incoming and departing aircraft.

Love Field Active Shooter Details

Witnesses report a disgruntled passenger with a firearm shot (a) round(s) into the air inside the terminal prior to the sterile side of the airport. One witness states she was quickly subdued by law enforcement.

Other Side Dallas is working to gather details now.

July 23, 2022July 23, 2022

Disorderly Conduct Displaying A Firearm

Disorderly Conduct Displaying A Firearm is the charge for Dallas Police Officer John Rozell, Badge 10533.

Lancaster Police Department arrested John Rozell early this morning. Rozell joined the Dallas Police Department in April 2013. His assignment is to the South Central Patrol Division.

He is again on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs administrative investigation.

Rozzell was also arrested by Lancaster Police in 2020 for assault by strangulation/impeding breath and unlawful restraint.

Disorderly Conduct Displaying A Firearm Just Latest Charge

An officer assigned to the Public Integrity Unit was arrested Wednesday for DWI in Mesquite.

The Wednesday arrest follows DWI arrests in McKinney and Arlington of Daniel Jamieson and Michael Patino.

Chief Eddie Garcia frequently complains about repeat criminals. It is unclear what action he will take on officers who have been arrested multiple times.

July 20, 2022July 20, 2022

Public Integrity Detective Charged

Public Integrity detective charged with DWI. On July 19, 2022, the Mequite Police Department charge Detective Joe Morin with DWI.

Morin #7081, has been on the department since July 1994. He is currently assigned to the Public Integrity Unit. He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs investigation.

Dallas Police Public Integrity Detective Charged – Follows Recent Long Line

There have been many arrests of Dallas officers recently for DWI.

McKinney Police offers arrested Daniel Jamieson over the Memorial Day weekend.

Dallas Police sergeant Michael Patino accused by Arlington police of DWI in mid June.

Both follow the Farmer’s Branch arrest of Judge Audra Moorhead.

July 20, 2022July 20, 2022

More Fires July 4 – Less Enforcement

More fires July 4, 2022 is the report of Jon Fortune, Assistant City Manager for Public Safety. The kicker is there was less enforcement by Dallas.

The City of Dallas has a consistent issue enforcing fireworks related nuissance crimes. Year after year Dallas Fire Rescue conducts public safety campaigns on fireworks. Year after year, fireworks are an issue.

Fireworks are illegal in the city limits and up to 5,000 feet outside of them.

More Fires July 4 – The Data

Fortune’s memo covers the usual potpourri of cherry picked data. The fire department responded to more reported structure fires, alarms and other incidents. Compared to last year, DFR responded to more than five times as many incidents.

There were more dumpster and trash fires than a year ago, but the biggest increase was in grass fires. Fortune notes that “further analysis is warranted” to determine causation.

This year DFR and Dallas Police issued nine citations for illegal fireworks. They also seized nine hundred thirty-eight pounds of illehal fireworks. Last year, the departments issues thirteen citations. They also seized almost thirteen hundred pounds of fireworks in 2021.

There was also a house fire in the 400 block of N. Peak Street last year which caused a criminal investigation.

The bottom line is more fires July 4, 2022 than 2021, but less enforcement.