The Investigators

• Jun 16, 2005 5:45 pm US/Central
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  Retaliation Against DART Officers Who Spoke Out

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Retaliation Against DART Officers Who Spoke Out

By Todd Bensman and Robert Riggs
The Investigators
CBS 11 News

Last month, a CBS 11 investigation revealed a widespread juvenile crime problem on North Texas transit rails, and it apparently struck a sensitive nerve at the image-conscious Dallas Area Rapid Transit. The report cited public records, crime statistics, passengers - and interviews with 19 police officers in establishing the wide-ranging juvenile crime problem. CBS 11 also reported a significant shortage of officers had stretched the department's ability to secure the rails against rampaging juvenile offenders.

Now, DART transit officers say the agency has responded with a crackdown. Not on the crime, but on the officers who spoke out about it.

Multiple sources say that top DART executives summoned police officers to mandatory meetings after the report aired, required the officers to watch videotape of the report, then berated them with threats of termination, loss of pay raises and possible replacement by security guards. Attendees, who requested anonymity for fear of further retribution, tell CBS 11 that top DART executives appeared at the meetings and warned that speaking to the press is a fireable offense.

CBS 11 has learned that one DART officer shown in the CBS 11 report arresting a suspected drug dealer was called into the offices of a top department supervisor. Officer Eliseo Quiroga, who was quoted in the CBS 11 report saying that crime was a constant problem and that the department was understaffed, was berrated as part of an administrative review. Officer Quiroga declined to comment for this report.

DART officials declined through a spokesman to be interviewed. But DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said the claims of threats, retribution and retaliatory administrative review investigations were false. He said the roll-call meetings attended by top brass who showed the CBS 11 videotaped news stories did occur but were "routine."

CBS 11 caught up to DART Board Chairman Huelon after a public board meeting. Huelon said he was unaware of threatening or retaliatory actions against the rank and file police officers for speaking out. But he said if the allegations were true they would be improper.

"It should not take place," he said.

Huelon also said he did not believe the officers should be replaced by security guards.

Asked whether he believed DART had any crime problem, Huelon deferred to Police Chief Juan Rodriguez. When presented with records, interviews and other CBS 11 findings about the juvenile crime problem last month, Chief Rodriguez responded: "We don't have a crime problem on the DART system."

To comment on this report, email: By Todd Bensman or Robert Riggs

(CBS 11)