Black Police Association of Greater Dallas Statement Regarding City of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings

Moments ago, we learned Mayor Rawlings convened a secret meeting of the Dallas Police Association and Dallas Firefighters Association to allegedly discuss the pension. Other police/fire groups made up of mostly Black and Hispanic employees were left out of the meeting, including the Fraternal Order of Police, which does not convey a message of inclusion. 

Our association has seen this type of action coming from Dallas City Hall recently, and it includes but is not limited to the Mayor’s Office and certain media. We will vehemently fight for our membership, and will not allow efforts such as this to go unchallenged. We will continue to make our presence known in Austin, and resist efforts to disrupt the current structure set up by state law recognizing the distinct and demarcated public safety associations unique to Dallas.

The Black Police Association does not perceive this issue as one that singularly affects our members, but all police and fire employees. The Mayor and City Manager began with divisive rhetoric which is now followed up with dismissive and exclusive actions. The Black Police Association will not accept behavior that excludes our members from being fairly represented by our leadership.

The Black Police Association affirms our position as a vital partner in this integrative negotiation. As a legally recognized bargaining group in the State of Texas, the Black Police Association of Greater Dallas will not accept secret meetings that prevent our members from having a voice in the process. 

Black Police Association of Greater Dallas 
Executive Board of Directors

BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION OF GREATER DALLAS

In 1975, the founding/charter members of the Texas Peace Officers' Association - Dallas Chapter secretly held its first organizational meeting in the backroom of the Alpha House on Good-Latimer. They had been warned not to form an organization that would openly challenge the Dallas Police Department's race and gender bias policies, duality and disparate treatment of the people of color and women.