TheeBadOne
Member
August 28, 2003
Dallas Split Over Police Chief's Firing
City officials deny that race was a factor in the decision to fire Dallas's first black police chief, though some community members allege otherwise, including one who described the ouster as a "public lynching."
Terrell Bolton, 45, was fired Tuesday, the day after his 23rd anniversary as a member of the Dallas police force. His four-year tenure as chief was marked by a fake drug scandal, lawsuits by demoted commanders and controversy over hiring practices.
At a city council meeting yesterday, a group of black residents and four council members expressed their anger over Bolton's ouster.
Councilman James L. Fantory described the firing as a slap in the face to the city's black residents.
"We will not sit back and let this continue," he said. "This is a slap in our face like it's never been slapped before." "There's lots of angriness in our community and it's going to blow up if we don't do something," said Fantroy, who plans a strategy meeting Saturday with black ministers and civic leaders.
Bolton's attorney, Bob Hinton, said his client does not know why he was ousted and may take legal action against the city.
Hinton described the firing as a personality conflict between his client and the mayor, and said Bolton would not have been let go "if the chief had not been African-American." He would not elaborate.
Darren Reagan, chairman of the Black State Employees Association of Texas, called the ouster a "public lynching. I'm not going to dare call for calm. I'm going to ask people to do what they need to do."
City Manager Ted Benavides, a Hispanic, has said no single reason but "an accumulation of issues" prompted him to let Bolton go. Benavides remained quiet during the council discussion, at one point resting his head in his hands in apparent frustration.
Bolton's attorney and some council members blamed Mayor Laura Miller, saying she pressured Benavides.
Miller, who is white, said the firing was Benavides' decision, not hers, but she supported it and was not happy with Bolton's performance. She said the issue of Bolton's race "is just patently not the case."
The mayor was forced to briefly recess the meeting when loud, unruly citizens refused to yield the floor.
A recent federal crime report showed Dallas would have the highest crime rate among the nation's largest cities for the sixth year in a row if projections held true through the end of the year.
The police department has been embroiled in a scandal in which white powder resembling cocaine was allegedly planted on innocent people, mostly Mexican immigrants.
One officer was fired and another remains on paid leave. Drug charges against more than 80 victims were dismissed by the district attorney's office.
Dallas Split Over Police Chief's Firing
City officials deny that race was a factor in the decision to fire Dallas's first black police chief, though some community members allege otherwise, including one who described the ouster as a "public lynching."
Terrell Bolton, 45, was fired Tuesday, the day after his 23rd anniversary as a member of the Dallas police force. His four-year tenure as chief was marked by a fake drug scandal, lawsuits by demoted commanders and controversy over hiring practices.
At a city council meeting yesterday, a group of black residents and four council members expressed their anger over Bolton's ouster.
Councilman James L. Fantory described the firing as a slap in the face to the city's black residents.
"We will not sit back and let this continue," he said. "This is a slap in our face like it's never been slapped before." "There's lots of angriness in our community and it's going to blow up if we don't do something," said Fantroy, who plans a strategy meeting Saturday with black ministers and civic leaders.
Bolton's attorney, Bob Hinton, said his client does not know why he was ousted and may take legal action against the city.
Hinton described the firing as a personality conflict between his client and the mayor, and said Bolton would not have been let go "if the chief had not been African-American." He would not elaborate.
Darren Reagan, chairman of the Black State Employees Association of Texas, called the ouster a "public lynching. I'm not going to dare call for calm. I'm going to ask people to do what they need to do."
City Manager Ted Benavides, a Hispanic, has said no single reason but "an accumulation of issues" prompted him to let Bolton go. Benavides remained quiet during the council discussion, at one point resting his head in his hands in apparent frustration.
Bolton's attorney and some council members blamed Mayor Laura Miller, saying she pressured Benavides.
Miller, who is white, said the firing was Benavides' decision, not hers, but she supported it and was not happy with Bolton's performance. She said the issue of Bolton's race "is just patently not the case."
The mayor was forced to briefly recess the meeting when loud, unruly citizens refused to yield the floor.
A recent federal crime report showed Dallas would have the highest crime rate among the nation's largest cities for the sixth year in a row if projections held true through the end of the year.
The police department has been embroiled in a scandal in which white powder resembling cocaine was allegedly planted on innocent people, mostly Mexican immigrants.
One officer was fired and another remains on paid leave. Drug charges against more than 80 victims were dismissed by the district attorney's office.
-up since his first day in office....
