Dallas Police Oversight Board votes to investigate woman's 2018 in-custody death
DALLAS - The Dallas Police Oversight Board voted to investigate the death of a woman who died in police custody in 2018.
Tuesday marked the board's second meeting and its first formal action taken on a complaint.
The case from 2018 involves the handling of Diamond Ross, a woman who the medical examiner says died from an accidental drug overdose while in custody.
October’s first meeting of the police oversight board could not have been more contentious. It erupted in a fight when people were not initially allowed public comment. That was the first thing on the agenda Tuesday.
“We’re all here to serve the City of Dallas,” said board member Ezekiel Tyson. “Let’s take today as a fresh start.”
During the hour of public comment Tuesday, several speakers said they have filed, or will file, complaints against officers about specific incidents.
A relative of Diamond Ross spoke at the meeting.
"For her to ask multiple times for water for help, no one thought to help her throughout that whole process," Ross' niece, Kia'tenai said. "My aunt could still be here today if y'all gave her that chance, but y'all didn't."
Ross’ death while in Dallas police custody in August 2018 was ruled an accidental drug overdose. Police video and details from an internal investigation were only recently released. Dallas PD says the district attorney declined to pursue criminal charges. Her family is calling for action from the department and the DA.
Jesusrobo Enobakhare is the chair of the community oversight board. She says she's committed to getting answers.
"The video is not a good look for the city of Dallas," she said. "One of the questions I would have would be who made the decision not to allow her to go to the hospital?"
If the oversight board votes to move forward, the investigation would be initiated by a newly-created monitor position in the city manager's office. That position has not yet been filled.
Ultimately, the board does not have any direct authority over criminal or disciplinary matters. It can only make recommendations to the police chief. DPD's own investigation resulted in very limited consequences with a written reprimand against one officer and a police trainee resigning during the investigation.
One complaint has even been filed against Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall after police asked people to leave the last meeting, and people pushed back. Chief Hall jumped in. The complainant requested that the chief recuse herself from the process.
There are still questions about how this board will help investigate complaints.
Complaints are made officially to the city’s office of police oversight. The board can then accept complaints, subpoena for sworn testimony, review evidence and facts in critical incidents and request disciplinary action be taken.
The board voted to put the complaint filed in the Diamond Ross case on next month’s agenda. This will be the first complaint the board discusses.
The city of Dallas still needs to hire a police monitor, who will work for the city and be the liaison for the police oversight board. The assistant city manager says they've received 70 applications for the job.