08/02/04  DPD Moves

We?ve recently heard on the news that our new Chief of Police demoted three police commanders, one being former NW Deputy-Chief June Kim-Edwards who was demoted back to sergeant.  Grrrreat move!

After I wrote about Kim-Edwards' questionable skip promotion, all cooperation stopped between the NW police substation and my special edition newspaper, Crime and Politics. That meant the crime stats I had been getting from the NW substation had to be acquired using open record requests, and officers were told not to talk with me.

Kim-Edwards' skip-promotion hurt the morale at NW Substation, and the crime fighting efforts for the area.  From the beginning, it was apparent she was in over her head.  The rank and file was furious, but their outrage had to be tempered to a whisper because of the new regime.  Good officers could only continue to do the job while looking for other opportunities where merit rises above political correctness.  Plus, a move to another municipality would most likely mean a raise in pay.

It will take our new Chief some time to correct the mistakes of Terrell Bolton, but Chief Kunkel's demoting promotions that were never deserved gives us hope that hard work and honesty will translate to opportunity for hard working police officers.  More, those who shouldn?t be Dallas police officers will be shown the door.

Let me recommend something that Mayor Wolens and Steve Salazar don?t agree with, but could make a huge positive impact for the future of the Dallas Police Department.

?        Change the charter provision that was approved and adopted by the city council in 1979 that requires the city to maintain the same percentage differential between the salaries for all ranks of the police and fire departments.

Dallas, Texas is the ninth largest city in the United States.  A world-class city doesn?t start with expensive string bridges we don?t need, paying a ridiculous amount of money to bury a few electrical wires for a better view or a foolhardy Trinity project, etc.  It starts with protecting the citizens of Dallas with the nation's ninth best-paid police patrolman and firefighters, and enough of them to do the job.

I?m not advocating skimping on good competitive wages as officers are hired and promoted up the command chain.  A good argument can be made to pay all officers across the board the ninth largest salary.  Unfortunately, the city can?t afford that with our current budget crisis.  If the 1979 charter amendment were changed to pay officers patrolling our neighborhoods the ninth largest salary in the U. S., it would show Dallas is serious about hiring the best, and paying one of the best wages to do one of the hardest jobs. 

I have no doubt that the 10% of registered Dallas voters who voted down a 17% pay raise for our police officers and firefighters would have voted in favor of giving only patrol such a raise.  Citizens know patrol is where the rubber meets the road in everyday policing.

Had Terrell Bolton not been such a disappointment as Chief, the raise still might have passed.  However, Mayor Wolens and her crack PR crew did a very good job of defeating the raise, and a very good job of demoralizing an already frustrated police force.

Wouldn?t making such a move help businesses in Dallas?

I?m sure Deep Ellum residents and businesses would welcome more than just a temporary increase in patrol for their ever increasing crime problem.  The Bachman area went almost two years without any new recruits.  They are just now being slated for eight more officers from the graduating class of recruits.

Our next election should include a proposition to allow our Patrol Division a raise and hire more officers to fight the crime in the nation's number one crime city without having to bankrupt the city by giving all ranks the same percentage raise?

Hey, all you big time news reporters and radio commentators working in the ninth largest market in the United States, can?t you whip up a little debate on this the issue?