Divine Intervention?

08/27/03 The Lord Moves in Mysterious Ways, but Halleluiah!

Just days ago, Chief Bolton was quoted in a DMN report by Colleen McCain Nelson:

Boy, talk about prophetic. Guess God did not like the way Terrell Bolton was doing his job and told City MisManager Ted Benavides that Tuesday, August 26 was the day Terrell Bolton needs to stop being the Chief of Police of Dallas. Since ex-Chief Bolton (doesn't that sound great?) claims	(from www.UndergroundCop.com)
Benavides gave him no explanation for his termination, and Benavides is not sharing his reasons with the press, he must have received orders from the Almighty and thinks no explanation is warranted.

After his bizarre press conference where he had that manic grin and all, Bolton only made things worse for himself. Ch. 11 ran an "exclusive" interview with Bolton "conducted" by J. D. Miles, who just sat there. When Bolton said Laura Miller is "good at tearing things up . . . she tore up me and my family today", I wanted to punch out Miles for letting that statement stand.

What about the 8 commanders and their families whose lives he "tore up" without a second thought and the millions that move cost us, not to mention all the experience lost to Dallas residence and DPD personnel. Most of those demoted commanders have great new jobs with money in the bank. It was a loss to Dallas caused by Terrell Bolton.

When Attorney Bob Hinton started on his kick about a conspiracy between Mayor Miller and the City MisManager and even the Dallas Police Association, I laughed out loud. Any council member has the right to talk to the City MisManager. If she orchestrated this firing, good for Miller, but to even suggest she has any arrangement with the DPA is as manic as Bolton's press conference grin.

That said, every department head under the City Manager serves AT WILL and is subject to demotion or termination with or without cause. Hinton apparently slept through Gov. 101 and has never bothered to look at the City Charter.

City Council hires:
City Attorney
City Auditor
City Secretary
City Manager Hires	Police Chief	Fire Chief	All Department Heads

The council cannot hire or fire the Police or Fire Chief. They can only pressure the City Manager.   That's one of the things the Mayor wanted changed in the Charter, to put both Chiefs directly under the council like the City Attorney, City Auditor, City Secretary and City Manager.

Bolton should have been fired 3 years ago when his name was linked to Al Lipscomb's deal with Nick Rizos. Bolton should have been fired for failing to determine who was Old Al's accomplice (if it wasn't Bolton). Bolton should have been fired for failing to determine who leaked information that interfered with an FBI investigation into stolen computers. Bolton should have been fired over the fake drug arrests and imprisonments and failing to determine what went wrong in his Vice Department.

My part of the city (Bachman/NW Hwy to Walnut Hill) was particularly victimized by Bolton's conspiracy with Al Lipscomb. The repercussions of their assistance to Rizos (as well as the other NW Hwy sex clubs) are very visible as you drive NW Highway between Stemmons and Marsh Ln./Lemmon Ave. We are hopeful that with time, the image of the area will improve. Having Randy Hampton named as the Interim Chief is not very encouraging for us. Just more of the same.

Only a few months after testimony in Old Al's Federal trial for his bribe-taking disclosed Nick Rizos had paid the old crook $7,700 to keep police personnel out of Caligula XXX (long since torched by some "arsonist"), Nick Rizos was back in our lives trying to open another DANCE HALL on NW Hwy across from Bachman Lake. The club STRATOS is located on a site with COMMUNITY RETAIL zoning, which requires a SPECIAL USE PERMIT (SUP) from the Plan Commission (and confirmation by Council) before a DANCE HALL PERMIT can be approved. With a DANCE HALL PERMIT, Caligula Rizos could not only allow couples to dance while they dined but he could have had some of his sex club whores dancing in there, too.  (Caligula Rizos owns The Lodge further West on NW Hwy, where Dwain Goodrich partied before going on to kill those 2 Good Samaritans on Stemmons.)

As an experienced DPD commander, Randy Hampton knew the rules. Over the community's objections, Hampton approved Rizos' DANCE HALL PERMIT despite no SUP and despite Nick's testimony that he bribed Old Al for a measly $7,700. Smarter people at City Hall overruled Hampton. So, we have reason for concern.

Today, the council will rant and rave some more about Bolton's firing, but they also vote up or down on Al Lipscomb's nomination to the Police Review Board. The count has changed again, and it looks like the nomination fails by 1 vote.

If Lipscomb is denied a seat on the PRB, it will be due to your efforts, your e-mails, letters and phone calls to the council. Congratulations to the council members who will deny a CONFESSED & CONVICTED BRIBE-TAKER a seat on the Police Review Board. Shame on those who put their own personal political aspirations before common sense and morality. It would be the height of immorality to put a CONFESSED & CONVICTED BRIBE-TAKER in a position to judge the actions of any police officer.

Congratulations to Ted Benavides for finally showing some spine. Three years too late, but better late than never.

Be sure to pick up a Dallas Observer tonight. Jim Schutze will have intriguing comments on the background of the firing and its impact.