DALLAS – Dallas voters approved significant measures to the city’s charter that will impact law enforcement services, including one that requires the hiring of 900 police officers.
In total, Dallas voters approved 16 of 18 amendments to the city’s charter on Tuesday in what observers say is in frustration with elected officials at City Hall.
One amendment will require the city to set aside 50% of future revenue growth to increase the number of officers at the Dallas Police Department, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Proposition U obtained support from 50.5% of Dallas voters, which mandates minimum police staffing at no less than 4000 officers. The agency currently sits at just under 3,100 sworn personnel.
The proposition doesn’t include a timing mechanism to specify how quickly Dallas PD would have to raise the number of cops.
Monty Bennett, CEO of Ashford Inc., and a major donor in the effort to get multiple propositions on the ballot, told NBC 5 on Wednesday, the charter amendment was written that way by design.
“If it takes one year, OK, if it takes 200 years, it takes 200 years,” Bennett said. “And that was purposely done so that the city couldn’t reasonably say that it would cause a cut in other services.”
Pete Marocco is a spokesperson for the group Dallas Hero, which gathered signatures during the summer to get the proposition on the ballot. He said voters sent the message of more support for public safety.
“It’s a historic day for Dallas,” Marocco said. “It’s an unquestionable mandate.”
