Sheriff Fires Lieutenant After DWI Charge

A Dallas County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant was fired last week after being arrested for DWI, a spokesperson told The Dallas Express on Tuesday.

Michael Raley, 38, who worked in the sheriff’s technology office, was initially placed on administrative leave after the incident on July 8, department spokesperson Jasmyn Carter told The Dallas Express. He was officially terminated on July 31, Carter said.

He had been employed by the department since January 10, 2005.

A Dallas police affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News said Raley was pulled over at 2:50 a.m. after his truck hit a concrete barrier on the LBJ Freeway near Skillman. Officers saw the crash and approached his vehicle. Raley smelled of alcohol, police reported.

An officer then frisked Raley and discovered a handgun, according to the DMN. 

The suspect declined to have his blood alcohol level tested at the scene, apparently citing fear for his career, the DMN reported. 

Raley was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and unlawful carrying of a handgun by a license holder, Carter said.

After being arrested, he continued to decline blood alcohol tests, so he was transported to a local hospital, where a blood sample was drawn after officers obtained a search warrant, per the DMN. 

In his 18 and half years as an employee of the sheriff’s department, Raley led the county’s efforts on criminal justice information services compliance. His work involved county access to federal criminal databases and information. Dallas County passed its audit over the summer, the DMN reported.

Meanwhile, other law enforcement agencies in Dallas are dealing with another personnel issue: The Dallas Police Department continues to struggle with a shortage of sworn police officers. According to a City analysis, the department should have about three officers per 1,000 residents, roughly 4,000 officers in total. Currently, the department has about 3,100 sworn officers.