CBS11TV.com Extra: Raw Police Chase Video
Apr 2, 2009 10:02 pm US/Central
Dallas Police Under The Microscope
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
It hasn't been the best of times for the Dallas Police Department. A recent series of scandals has eroded confidence among some residents.
"I realize that some officers do have a poor attitude and that some have become tired of the job, and they overreact a lot of the times. They go on training rather than logic," said Dallas resident Glenn Borgne.
Reports have focused over the past week on a
controversial taser case, the arrest of an officer for
beating and injuring his 13-year-old son and of course, the infamous case of
Robert Powell, who prevented an NFL player from seeing a dying relative.
"I think it's embarrassing. I don't believe that it was a one-time incident. I don't believe that people act that way at random," said Dallas resident Judie Evans.
While the incident tarnished the department's reputation worldwide, the aftermath has hit hardest in Dallas, where even the mayor has serious concerns.
"Clearly what we've seen in the last week or so is not what we want to come out of the City of Dallas," said Mayor Tom Leppert.
Dallas police can take heart that they still have an army of supporters who believe that good cops have recently been overshadowed by a few bad ones.
"No matter whether they're police or an individual, there's always somebody who is going to be tempted by situations of power," said Dallas resident Derek Cobb.
The department understands it has to repair its image.
"Whenever we mess up, we fess up. This is something we can learn from," said Dallas Police Lt. Andy Harvey.
But Dallas police are also asking residents to remember the good that officers do each and every day.
"We have hard-working officers out there that love being Dallas police officers. They come to work ready to go and try to do some good out there. At the same time, we live in a fish bowl and our actions are under a microscope every day," Lt. Harvey said.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
RAW VIDEO: Dallas Co. Chase Ends w/Crash
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