The Grand Prairie Police Department is still pushing “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), The Dallas Express has learned.
Grand Prairie police hosts a webpage titled “Social Racial and Justice Resolution,” outlining steps to fulfill a resolution the city council passed in 2020. This followed George Floyd’s death in police custody, which sparked a summer of riots and “defunding the police” across America.
“While the page was put up surrounding the death of George Floyd, it still reflects long-standing policies that guide our department,” said Public Information Officer Mark Beseda to The Dallas Express. “These commitments have not changed.”
Beseda emphasized de-escalation, a duty to intervene, warnings when possible, transparent reporting, and high moral and ethical hiring standards for officers.
Pushing DEI
The Dallas Express asked Beseda if the department or city works to “advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
“Yes. The City maintains an Equal Employment Opportunity policy and a Title VI Non-Discrimination policy that apply across all departments,” Beseda replied.
Beseda emphasized outreach programs focusing on “expanding access, removing barriers, and ensuring every Grand Prairie resident can connect with THEIR police department.” He said this is a “continual process.”
He pointed to programs like the Women’s Leadership Program to “mentor and prepare female police officers for leadership” and recruit qualified applicants. According to its website, the program aims to build an “inclusive, diverse, and successful law enforcement community.”
“Historically, policing has not been the first choice for many women, and we are striving to change that,” Beseda explained.
He also pointed to programs like the Citizens Police Academy (in English and Spanish), UNIDOS Hispanic outreach, Citizens on Patrol, the Grand Prairie Police and Clergy Coalition, Coffee with a Cop, and more. According to Beseda, the department also runs a Crisis Support Unit that sends clinicians with officers to mental health calls and follow-ups with families.
Grand Prairie police have been working for years to operate “in stark contrast to what was seen on the George Floyd video,” according to the webpage. It says residents “may have had an encounter with local police that is at odds with social justice.”
“Recognizing that, while we believe the Grand Prairie police department has been a leader for some time on these issues and continues to model the best in community policing behavior, we all agree we can do more,” the webpage reads.
“Although the events surrounding George Floyd happened over 5 years ago, the tenants [sic] of the page remain consistent,” Beseda added.
Grand Prairie Police Chief Daniel Scesney posted a video soon after Floyd’s death in 2020, saying the department “enforces the law with empathy and love.” He denounced looters for taking advantage of the situation.
“That only distracts from the important voice that George Floyd has,” Scesney said at the time. “It’s important that his voice continues to be heard through all of us.”
The department partnered with the Dallas Cowboys that year to “initiate a meaningful discussion in our nation.” Its website links to a video from the team, which used Grand Prairie patrol cars and uniformed officers to advance claims of racial inequality.
“Our hearts are burning with anger and sadness. Racism and hatred have to stop,” the Cowboys said in the video. “We have to come together to change the system.”
‘True Racial Justice Reform’
The Grand Prairie City Council passed a resolution on June 16, 2020, for “Community Diversity, Inclusion, Justice and Equality.” This came amid the heat of violent “Black Lives Matter” riots across the nation, while activists cited “systemic racism” to justify DEI.
“Circumstances gripping our nation’s consciousness are demanding true racial justice reform and an end to racism,” the resolution reads. “The Grand Prairie City Council calls upon city employees and Grand Prairie residents to demonstrate human dignity toward one another; and look inside their hearts to reflect on how we can be a positive force in advocating for a world without the scourge of racism.”
The city “welcomes diversity, inclusion, equality and equity” as necessary for a “positive and healthy community,” according to the resolution. It said the local government was also committed to advancing “diversity and inclusion.”
Grand Prairie passed the resolution, encouraging the city to – among other things – “reaffirm its commitment to fostering an inclusive culture, respectful to all, that values the diversity of its residents.” It also made a “long-term and ongoing commitment” to build a “more equitable community.”
That same month, Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen, then-City Manager Tom Hart, and Scesney sent a letter about “racial justice and police enforcement reform.”
“I truly believe Grand Prairie embraces the shared values of justice, equality, inclusion and equity,” the letter reads. “It is easy to say, we need to and will do better. Harder to do. And, this is not going to happen overnight. Real change takes time. The time to start is now.”
Grand Prairie police have been working “for years” to operate in contrast to the Floyd video, according to the letter. It said while the department “continues to model the best in community policing behavior, we all agree we can do more.”
“While the chief co-signed the letter in 2020 along with the Mayor and City Manager, its values still guide us,” Beseda said. “We remain committed to treating every person with dignity and respect … every interaction every day.”
The letter directed readers to a City of Grand Prairie webpage on “Community Inclusion.” This directs residents to seminars like “Journey to Inclusiveness” and podcasts on “Inclusivity” by the city’s former “inclusion coordinator,” now chief of staff for Tarrant County.
The city held a Juneteenth rally in 2020, where former Grand Prairie City Councilman Jeff Copeland called to take down flags and statues. He specifically denounced the Confederate flag.
“That flag ain’t never stood for one thing good,” Copeland said. “So let’s take down every flag, take down every statue, rename every building. But let’s do it with peace and love and understanding, and not in hate and in violence.”
The city also posted a video on YouTube in 2020, showing its police officers from different countries holding their native flags and speaking their native languages.
“Hello, I’m Frank and I am from Kenya… And I am a Grand Prairie police officer,” one officer said, holding up the Kenyan flag. The video similarly featured other officers from Vietnam and Brazil.
Grand Prairie boasted in 2021 of being the top “US City Where Black Americans Fare Best Economically.”
Legal Challenges
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order in January 2025, banning state agencies from DEI initiatives that use “race-based favoritism or discrimination.”
“DEI agendas divide us rather than unite us and have no place in the state of Texas,” Abbott said in a press release. “These radical policies deviate from constitutional principles and deny diverse thought.”
Abbott said every Texan is equal under the law, citing the state and federal constitutions, which ban race-based discrimination.
The state legislature passed SB 17 in 2023, banning DEI in Texas public universities. Earlier this year, Republican state Rep. Nate Schatzline also introduced a bill to ban DEI in local governments. The effort stalled in committee.
On the federal level, President Donald Trump also signed an executive order in January, “Ending Radical and Wasteful DEI Programs and Preferencing.” He directed the federal government to terminate all DEI programs and evaluate DEI grants and contracts.
The Dallas Express asked Beseda how the department’s DEI program squares with legal requirements. He replied that federal and state rules require non-discrimination.
“They do not prohibit lawful outreach or training that improves fairness and impartiality,” Beseda said. “Our approach is to broaden the pool of applicants and improve service while following the law.”
The department aims to improve the quality of life for its residents, according to Beseda, working by the “Spirit of the Law.”