Dallas Police Chief Attempts to Improve Department Image by Cleaning House

Last week, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle launched his department housecleaning effort with the firing of two sergeants and three officers who had been accused of misconduct. The chief says he's determined to improve the department's troubled image and show the rank and file that no officer is above the law.

Since the begining of the effort, Chief Kunkle fired four more officers. Two are accused of driving drunk. One allegedly exposed himself to a woman. One didn't tell his superiors about a colleague's threats to embarrass a TV reporter. More firings are expected this week.

Each employee can appeal his or her discipline through the civil service system, but a recent city charter amendment which allows disciplinary action to be upheld "if a reasonable person could have taken the same disciplinary action against the employee"  will probably make it harder for employees to get their firings or discipline overturned. More. . . [Mark Godsey]