01/05/03  Chief Bolton Flees / Speeds Away From City Marshall
 

City Council Remains "Mum" on Enforcement Action Taken

On or about the week ending December 6, 2003, Ex-Police Chief Bolton sped away from his residence at a reported high rate of speed with a City Marshal in pursuit. 

The City Marshal's Office reported the Ex-chief did not stop for them in their marked city vehicle, and they discontinued pursuit for fear of endangering residents in the community (at speeds reported in the vicinity of 80 mph). 

I have written to my City Council Representative and the Mayor in attempts to learn just what citation action has been taken against the Ex-chief for committing the fleeing, evasion, endangerment crimes within the Dallas city limits.  Those crimes can carry substantial penalties, according to the Texas Penal Code.  The only response received to date is that the issue is still being held up in the City Attorney's Office. 

Over the past year, I have discovered that issues the City wishes to "keep quiet" wind up in the City Attorney's Office, or in the City Public Safety Office and sometimes never appear to surface again.  I do not believe that policy should continue. 

If a common citizen fled from a marked police vehicle, some form of action would be taken by the Public Safety Department in a short period of time, since the vehicle and its occupant were known to the sworn law enforcement officers.   Perhaps another law enforcement body with overlapping jurisdiction should investigate matters such as the one described above and cause some enforcement action to be taken.

Rad Field
District 11, Dallas