Not Above The Law

6 Dallas police officers fired in shocking probe that reveals possible criminal activity

Dallas police chief David Brown fired six officers on Tuesday and suspended one more in a sweeping act of department discipline. All of the terminated officers allegedly engaged in unethical behavior and many stand accused of committing crimes themselves.

The most serious case involves officers Bryan Burgess and Michael Puckett. In April, the officers were following a suspicious person on bicycle in the 1600 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard. Puckett got out of the squad car to pursue the man on foot while Burgess continued driving.

How the bicyclist died is a matter of dispute. Burgess originally said the rider cut in front of his vehicle, but a recording from the scene of the crime paints a different picture. Burgess is accused of running over the bicyclist, repositioning his body and moving his squad car before investigators arrived. Both officers were fired, and Burgess faces charges of negligent homicide.

Officer Bryan Burgess is accused of moving a body at a crime scene and lying about it.

Another pair of firings took place in the Family Violence Unit. An internal affairs investigation revealed that between 2009 and 2011, Senior Corporal Shawn Wash failed to investigate 148 cases of domestic violence and entered false information in a report. In the same time period, Senior Corporal Durman Johnson reportedly failed to investigate 105 cases and entered false information on a report. Johnson allegedly filed an arrest warrant on the wrong person in a 2012 assault case.

In other unrelated although nonetheless egregious offenses, Officer Edward Antunez was fired after being charged with sexual assault in Mesquite. Crime scene analyst Cindy Kelly was fired after a background check revealed she had been arrested in Ellis County for misapplication of fiduciary property — a felony. The arrest occurred three months after Kelly began working for the police department.

Officer Andrew Clennell has been suspended for 30 days after flashing his badge and gun during a bar fight in Fort Worth. Clennell, who was on administrative leave at the time of the incident, also allegedly gave conflicting statements to police about the fight.

At a press conference hours after the firings, police chief David Brown said it was obviously not a great day for the department. "It is my hope the public understands that 99 percent of officers do what they are asked to do," Brown said.

Seven Dallas police officers have been fired or placed on leave as the result of internal investigations.

Dallas Police Facebook

Seven Dallas police officers have been fired or placed on leave as the result of internal investigations.

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Election News

Dallas decriminalizes marijuana and other election results

Redheaded Blackbelt

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Dallas voted to decriminalize marijuana among the results of the November 5, 2024, election. Other measures included 18 propositions, a presidential election, plus votes on Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

Figures are from the Dallas County election results which were last updated on Wednesday, November 6, 2:34:56 AM as follows:

National elections
Dallas County voted solidly blue with results that differed greatly from the actual outcome of the elections, as follows:

President: In Dallas County, Kamala Harris won with 497,992 votes (59.72%) vs. Donald Trump, who earned 316,416 votes (37.94%).

Senate: In Dallas County, Colin Allred won with 517,894 votes (62.88%) vs. Ted Cruz, who earned 285,726 votes (34.69%).

U.S. House of Representatives

District 5: Ruth Torres (D) won with 69,046 votes (51.29%) vs. Lance Gooden (R) who earned 65,579 votes (48.71%).
District 6: John Love III (D) won with 19,846 votes (50.94%) vs. Jake Elizey (R), who earned 19,111 votes (49%).
District 24: Beth Van Duyne (R) won with 74,601 votes (56.51%) vs. Sam Eppler (D) who earned 57,409 votes (43.49%).
District 30: Jasmine Crockett (D) won with 180,465 votes (85,24%) vs. Jamar Jefferson (Lib) who earned 31,244 votes (14.76%)
District 32: Julie Johnson (D) won with 117,053 votes (61%) vs. Darrell Day, who earned 69,928 votes (36.45%).
District 33: Marc Veasey (D) won with 56,713 votes (67.23%) vs. Patrick David Gillespie (R) who earned 27,645 votes (32.77%).

Marijuana
Voters approved the decriminalization of marijuana in Proposition R. Also known as the “Dallas Freedom Act” and spearheaded by Ground Game Texas, it prohibits the Dallas Police Department from making arrests or issuing citations for marijuana possession or considering the odor of marijuana as probable cause for search or seizure, except as part of a violent felony or high priority narcotics felony investigation, for those with four ounces or less of marijuana. The proposition got a high-profile endorsement from Willie Nelson.

Propositions
There were 18 proposed amendments to the Dallas city charter that included 14 from the Dallas City Council and four from resident petitions. Nearly all passed.

Proposition A: City of Dallas would contribute to the city’s employees’ retirement fund:
For 240,470 (68.74%) Against 109,365 (31.26%) - Total: 349,835

Proposition B: Add a preamble to the charter that declares the city to be an equitable democracy, comprised of representatives that act to make the city fair, equitable, just and safe for all residents.
For 261,727 (72.63%) Against 98,646 (27.37%) - Total: 360,373

Proposition C: Increase annual salary for the mayor to $110,000 (up from $80,000) and the annual salary for city council members to $90,000 (up from $60,000)
Against 210,409 (57.78%) For 153,729 (42.22%) - Total: 364,138

Proposition D: Shift city elections from May to new date.
For 231,096 (65.13%) Against 123,736 (34.87%) - Total: 354,832

Proposition E: Eliminate ability for city council members to run again after serving the maximum four two-year terms and eliminate the ability for the mayor to run for mayor again after serving the maximum two four-year terms.
For 250,932 (68.99%) Against 112,746 (31.01%) - Total: 363,578

Proposition F: Require city council to provide employees to the city secretary and city auditor.
For 237,526 (67.62%) Against 113,724 (32.38%) - Total: 351,250

Proposition G: Add eligibility criteria for serving on the city’s redistricting commission.
For 247,680 (70.75%) Against 102,394 (29.25%) - Total: 350,074

Proposition H: Eliminate the requirement that members of the redistricting commission, city plan commission, civil service board, and park and recreation be registered to vote, qualified voters or qualified taxpaying citizens.
For 186,225 (52.22%) Against 170,402 (47.78%) - Total: 356,627

Proposition I: Extend deadline to collect signatures for initiative and referendum ordinances from 60 to 120 days and reduce the number of signatures required on a petition from 10% of the qualified Dallas voters to 5%.
For 191,766 (54.76%) Against 158,410 (45.24%) - Total: 350,176

Proposition J: Allow the city council’s appointments to city boards and commissions to be replaced by city council prior to the completion of a member’s two-year term.
For 212,388 (61.39%) Against 133,550 (38.61%) - Total: 345,938

Proposition L: Make the city’s Inspector General appointed by the city council and outline the duties of the Inspector General.
For 239,521 (69.56%) Against 104,807 (30.44%) - Total: 344,338

Proposition O: Require associate municipal judges be residents of the city of Dallas within four months of the date of appointment and practicing attorneys in good standing; associate municipal judges must be appointed by the city council and receive assignments from the administrative judge or administrative judge’s designee.
For 277,116 (79.64%) Against 70,842 (20.36%) - Total: 347,958

Proposition P: Delete requirement that a city employee who appeals their firing or demotion pay half of the costs associated with the appeal hearing.
For 189,241 (54.69%) Against 156,774 (45.31%) - Total: 346,015

Proposition Q: Align city charter with city code or state law and better match what the city’s practices are now.
For 251,107 (72.9%) Against 93,355 (27.1%) - Total: 344,462

Proposition R: Decriminalize possession of marijuana for those with four ounces or less.
For 242,241 (66.51%) Against 121,999 (33.49%) - Total: 364,240

Proposition S: One of three controversial propositions from Dallas HERO group allows any resident of Dallas to bring a lawsuit against the city to require the city to comply with provisions of the city charter, city ordinances, and state law. It also waives the city’s governmental immunity from suit and liability in claims brought under the amendment.
For 197,523 (55.04%) Against 161,329 (44.96%) - Total: 358,852

Proposition T: One of three controversial propositions from Dallas HERO group requires the city to conduct a city-commissioned community survey each year of a minimum of 1,400 Dallas residents that results in either the city manager earning a performance-based pay raise or the city manager’s firing.
Against 198,769 (55.27%) For 160,858 (44.73%) - Total: 359,627

Proposition U: One of three controversial propositions from Dallas HERO group has two elements: Dedicate at least 50% of new revenue each year to fund the Dallas Police and Fire Pension. Require Dallas to maintain a force of at least 4,000 police officers and increase starting pay for officers.
For 183,450 (50.52%) Against 179,658 (49.48%) - Total: 363,108

election marijuana politics voting