DALLAS – The nonprofit Dallas HERO is threatening to sue the city for a second time if officials do not act within 60 days to comply with a voter-approved city charter amendment requiring the hiring of nearly 900 additional police officers, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The group pointed to Proposition U, passed by voters in November, which mandates that the city maintain a police force of 4,000 officers, according to the report. Dallas currently employs just over 3,100. In a news release Monday, Dallas HERO executive director Damien LeVeck said compliance is “not optional,” accusing City Hall of “flagrantly disregarding this legal mandate.”
The nonprofit set a deadline of May 30 for the city to show a plan to meet the hiring goal. LeVeck clarified that the group does not expect the city to hire all officers within 60 days, but wants evidence of a “good faith effort” and engagement with the organization, according to the report.
This is the second time Dallas HERO has threatened legal action since voters approved Propositions U and S. Proposition S waives the city’s governmental immunity, potentially increasing its legal liability, according to the report. In December, the nonprofit warned of a lawsuit over the city’s failure to remove homeless encampments from sidewalks, though it has not yet filed in that case.
City officials declined to comment Monday. Hiring nearly 900 officers has presented challenges, as police departments across the country face staffing shortages.
The Dallas City Council recently raised its police hiring target from 250 to 300 officers for this fiscal year, according to the report. A proposal to increase the goal to 400 was rejected after concerns from interim Police Chief Michael Igo and the city’s largest police association, who said the increase could impact patrol staffing due to training needs.
In response to staffing concerns, the council allocated $7.6 million in federal funds last week for police hiring and retention initiatives.
LeVeck emphasized that two low-cost steps — initiating a compensation survey and engaging in budget talks — would help bring the city closer to compliance, according to the report. Dallas HERO is urging the city to hire a third-party firm to compare officer pay and benefits across North Texas counties, as required under the new charter amendment.
