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Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia has terminated two officers this week, citing inappropriate conduct—one for excessive force and another for making inappropriate sexual remarks.
Senior Corporal Lontrell Tatum was dismissed after an investigation revealed that he had deployed pepper spray on a handcuffed woman in the back of his police vehicle. The Dallas Police Department stated that Tatum’s actions constituted unnecessary force, involved the use of profanity while interacting with a citizen, failure to secure a prisoner with a seatbelt, and violations of the department’s Body Worn Camera policy. Additionally, Tatum was accused of providing inconsistent statements regarding the use of pepper spray and neglecting to provide medical treatment to the affected individual.
Reports from The Dallas Morning News suggest that Tatum claimed the woman had directed racist slurs at him and denied using pepper spray on her.
The department also terminated Police Officer Carlos Garcia Romero for allegedly making inappropriate sexual comments to a woman during a service call. Romero was found to have violated the department’s policy regarding the use of body-worn cameras.
Chief Garcia emphasized the department’s commitment to upholding standards and ensuring accountability. He stated, “When we’re right, I will vehemently support my people, but when we’re wrong, we’re going to hold ourselves accountable, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
During the disciplinary hearings, the officers were represented by Dallas Police Association president Jaime Castro, who declined to provide comments on the matter.