Latino police organization calls for removal of Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall

A police association representing a thousand Dallas police officers announced a vote of ‘no confidence’ in Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall.

The Dallas chapter of the National Latino Law Enforcement Organization says the department's personnel problems are a result of low morale and that Chief Hall needs to go.

NLLEO said more than 1,000 Dallas police officers participated in a survey about Chief Hall. It concluded that 83 percent of them said they had no confidence in the chief.

With a drastic rise in homicides and violent crime in Dallas this year, even Texas Troopers are being brought in to help.

“We’re embarrassed. This is the first time we’ve had to accept outside assistance from another police agency,” said Sgt. George Aranda, president of NLLEO. “I believe her initiatives are the reason we’re not taking a proactive approach. We need to put more officers on the street and come up with crime strategies. Bringing in DPS is great. I have respect for the troopers. But that is just a band-aid.”

Aranda announced that nearly 90 percent of his members feel the staffing in the criminal investigations bureau is inadequate to address the rise in crime.

“We need a crime fighter to come in here to take over,” he said. “If the city manager cannot remove her, we’re asking for his removal as well.”

Todd Harrison, the president of the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas, came in from Austin to show solidarity about the vote of no confidence.

“The other cities are not experiencing quite the shortage you are here in Dallas. If you don’t have enough officers to patrol, that can lead to problems,” Harrison said. “Pension, the pay is good, but officers often leave if morale is low and if they don’t feel respected. That can lead to officers leaving, even if your pay is good.”

However, Terrance Hopkins, the president of the Black Police Association of Dallas, said the chief can't take all the blame for the rise in crime.

“Can you blame the crime problem on Chief Hall? No. Crime is going to spike in every city in every state in this country,” Hopkins said. “So we had a spike. We already know we’re understaffed. How can you attribute that simply to the chief?”

Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax released a statement Wednesday fully supporting the chief. He said, “Chief Hall has my continued support, and I have full confidence in her ability to continue leading the department.”

Aranda blames the staffing shortages on bad morale.

In regards to NLLEO’s no confidence vote, Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata said Chief Hall will be graded on the crime rate. And if she fails to lower crime, he believes the city council will take appropriate steps to get a leader who can.