City of Dallas leaders debated law enforcement spending last week ahead of a critical vote on a proposed charter amendment that would bolster the understaffed and underfunded Dallas Police Department.
Dallas City Council members debated spending on police overtime hours, which have increased by 800% since 2011, costing taxpayers $56 million annually, according to Fox 4 KDFW.
DPD representatives described the overtime spending as a bargain needed to counter the staffing shortage. Still, DPD Assistant Director Martin Riojas Jr. emphasized that overtime spending is a short-term solution.
“We are not suggesting, though, that we meet all of our needs with overtime because it’s cheaper. That’s not it,” he said, per Fox 4. “Because from a wellness perspective, we need more officers. We know that. But we’re just displaying the fact that when you look at regular time and when you account for time away… regular time is more expensive.”
Addressing the staff shortage, Police Chief Eddie Garcia said the City has fewer than 3,100 sworn officers on staff and plans to increase that number to 3,600 by 2033, reported NBC 5 DFW.
Pete Marocco, executive director of the nonprofit Dallas HERO, said the City should urgently act on increasing the number of police on staff instead of wasting time in a debate over overtime pay.
“In 2015, the City’s goal was to get from 3,600 to over 4,000 DPD officers, a minimum ratio of 3 officers to every 1,000 citizens. Just like that broken promise, they are now setting a goal to get from just over 3,000 to 3,600 in 2033, when none of them will still be in leadership to get to what, 2,500 officers?” he told DX.
Dallas HERO was behind a citizen-led charter amendment campaign to grow the police department, which residents will vote on in November, as previously reported by DX. The amendment would require the City to increase police pay and hire roughly 1,000 officers. It would similarly bolster the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System.
Marocco said the charter amendment would do much more for police than what City leaders are floating.
“The City tells us to ignore and pretend property crime is not a crime,” he said. “What crimes will they ask us to ignore in 2033? It’s insulting and weak. Wake up, Dallas. This is what ‘defund the police’ looks like: by touting $56 million in overtime as a good value for ignoring crimes that affect us every day.”
Several Dallas City Council members are advocating against the Dallas HERO amendment, as previously reported by DX. This opposition effort includes members who proposed last-minute charter amendment proposals to directly counter Dallas HERO’s amendments.
Marocco’s group responded by filing lawsuits in multiple venues, claiming that the last-minute maneuvers were against the law and intended to disenfranchise Dallas voters.
