Dallas HERO Amendment: Impact on Police Force Size and City Safety

Dallas HERO Amendment Mandate

• 📌 Voters approved the HERO Amendment nearly a year ago, mandating a significant increase in the Dallas police force size.
• 🎯 The goal was to reach a force of 4,000 officers, a target that the city is currently struggling to meet.

Current Status of Police Force

• 📉 Despite budget shifts and revised hiring standards, Dallas remains hundreds of officers short of the mandated number.
• ⏳ At the current hiring pace, the city is projected to reach the 4,000-officer goal only by 2029.

Funding and Advocacy Behind HERO

• 💰 The push for the HERO Amendment was significantly funded by GOP megadonor Monty Bennett through a nonprofit called Dallas HERO.
• 🗣️ Proponents, like Bennett, argued that Dallas was becoming unsafe and on a path to becoming a "hell hole" if crime was not addressed.

Counterarguments on City Safety

• ⚖️ Former interim chief Mike Igo and former officer Fred Frasier dispute claims that crime in Dallas is out of control.
• ❓ They question whether the focus should be on building a better department or potentially harming the city with such claims.

Proposed Solutions and Challenges

• 📈 Monty Bennett suggested focusing on hiring back former officers and increasing pay as a way to meet the mandate.
• 💰 The current starting pay for officers is over $81,000 per year.