The Dallas Police Department racked up over 2,300 hours of overtime for training in September. Police officials said Tuesday that's in part for training for the upcoming election.
Interim Police Chief Michael Igo told members of the Public Safety Committee that the training — which was listed in the department’s top 10 reasons for overtime during the month — was for a special team within the department.
“We have increased our training over the last couple of months for our specialized response group in preparation for the election and post-election potential protest,” Igo said.
Igo said because of that, officer’s schedules had to be altered to “get that training in” — which resulted in paying out overtime.
District 13 Council Member Gay Donnell Willis was the only member of the committee to question the increase in overtime.
“So maybe the reason this has not stood out to me in previous months is because this is over and above due to the election and post-election,” Willis said.
Igo told Willis that was correct.
“Well that’s interesting,” Willis responded.
KERA did not immediately receive reply from the city and police department after reaching out for comment about the training and how much the overtime is costing the city.
This election, which is less than a week away, could be one of the most divisive in modern history. At the very top, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have been sparring for months in a race that has become the centerpiece of the current news cycle.
Trump and others involved with his campaign have called into question Harris’ identity, qualifications — and even her IQ. The Harris campaign has disputed many of the Trump campaign's claims on policy issues and the personal attacks.
At the regional level, a political action committee funded by North Texas billionaires is targeting “soft on crime” judges with questionable claims.
State races in Texas, particularly the Senate race between Democrat Colin Allred and Republican incumbent Ted Cruz, have often been heated.
Election day is November 5.
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