Calamitygirl
Born to Wheel
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Officers Driving Hummer, Porsche
Shaun Rabb Fox4 News Sept. 20, 2011
Dallas County Commissioners got their motors revved up over cars that have been seized in drug operations and are now being used by the sheriff and district attorney.Specifically they were talking about a Hummer and a 10-year-old Porsche.Sheriff Lupe Valdez has the Hummer in her possession. She believes it could be the perfect tool to turn heads toward the department."We're gonna cover it with our website, our recruitment site, and use it in all sorts of recruiting situations," she said.As for the Porsche, it is common practice for law enforcement to use seized vehicles to help police look the part while undercover.But on Tuesday commissioners questioned whether the cops should keep their flash when everything else in the county's budget looks dark."Whether it's a plane, a car, a gun, etc., we shouldn't fly it. We shouldn't drive it. We shouldn't shoot it. We need to put this up for action and that money needs to go into the general fund," said Commissioner Maurine Dickey.The questions heated Assistant DA Heath Harris."When comments like these are made now we can't use those vehicles and you put our officers in danger when you do that," he said.DA Craig Watkins doesn't understand the pushback."We have been seizing vehicles for years and they have been used for that purpose. But for whatever reason it's become an issue today," he said.At the end of the day the district attorney's office will get to keep its undercover vehicles, although they've now been somewhat exposed.And while it looks like the sheriff will also get to keep her Hummer, the commissioners want to see a written plan for how it will be used and the budget for its upkeep.
Shaun Rabb Fox4 News Sept. 20, 2011
Dallas County Commissioners got their motors revved up over cars that have been seized in drug operations and are now being used by the sheriff and district attorney.Specifically they were talking about a Hummer and a 10-year-old Porsche.Sheriff Lupe Valdez has the Hummer in her possession. She believes it could be the perfect tool to turn heads toward the department."We're gonna cover it with our website, our recruitment site, and use it in all sorts of recruiting situations," she said.As for the Porsche, it is common practice for law enforcement to use seized vehicles to help police look the part while undercover.But on Tuesday commissioners questioned whether the cops should keep their flash when everything else in the county's budget looks dark."Whether it's a plane, a car, a gun, etc., we shouldn't fly it. We shouldn't drive it. We shouldn't shoot it. We need to put this up for action and that money needs to go into the general fund," said Commissioner Maurine Dickey.The questions heated Assistant DA Heath Harris."When comments like these are made now we can't use those vehicles and you put our officers in danger when you do that," he said.DA Craig Watkins doesn't understand the pushback."We have been seizing vehicles for years and they have been used for that purpose. But for whatever reason it's become an issue today," he said.At the end of the day the district attorney's office will get to keep its undercover vehicles, although they've now been somewhat exposed.And while it looks like the sheriff will also get to keep her Hummer, the commissioners want to see a written plan for how it will be used and the budget for its upkeep.
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