DPD TOLD TO GET TOUGH ON HIRING

Recent pot smokers, targets of protective orders need not apply, council
suggests

The Dallas Police Department should strengthen its hiring regulations,
extending a no-hire period for recruits known to have smoked marijuana and
barring anyone with a past or current protective order from the force,
Dallas City Council members told interim Chief Randy Hampton on Monday.

Chief Hampton, speaking to the council's public safety committee, agreed to
review departmental hiring standards and report back to committee members.
But Dallas' police hiring standards are among the strictest in Texas, he
told the council.

"We're not at the bottom of the totem pole at all," Chief Hampton said.

The Dallas Police Department, for example, will not accept recruits
convicted of, or who have admitted to, committing a Class A misdemeanor, the
chief said. Department policies also won't allow recruits with a Class B
misdemeanor in the last two years or a Class C misdemeanor in the previous
six months. Other cities may hire cadets who acknowledge committing a
misdemeanor.

Dallas will, however, hire recruits with marijuana convictions, provided
that they came more than two years ago. This is unacceptable, committee vice
chairman Gary Griffith said.

"How'd y'all pick two years?" Mr. Griffith said, suggesting a five-year
no-hire period. "Being a cut above is altogether appropriate for the Dallas
Police Department."

Council member Sandy Greyson asked the chief to change the department's
policy of disqualifying recruits only with active protective orders from
service. The policy should include any protective order a judge placed on a
recruit, she said.

"If it's cleared in court, do we still have to hold it against them?" Chief
Hampton asked Ms. Greyson.

"Frankly, chief, your answer concerns me," she said. "I don't want that kind
of person being a Dallas police officer. [A protective order] is a real sign
of a violent personality."

Said Chief Hampton: "I just need to do a little more research."

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill defended the department, which he said rejects
83 percent of all applicants. The department has "an awful lot of very, very
good police officers" with strong qualifications, he said. But preventing
qualified cadets from joining the force will only hurt the city by leaving
its streets with fewer police officers on them, Mr. Hill said.