Articles By Bob Gorsky DPD TO CRACKDOWN ON FALSE CRIME REPORTS…WHAT ABOUT A CRACKDOWN ON FALSE IAD COMPLAINTS? The Dallas Police Department has reportedly increased its focus on preventing false reports of crimes. It now requires people reporting certain types of thefts to sign an affidavit swearing to the validity of the complaint. The Dallas Morning News recently reported the story of the arrest of Ashley Bennett, age 24, who reported that her baby was inside her vehicle, which had been stolen. It turned out that the baby was not in the vehicle but Bennett allegedly made the false report in order to lure police into a faster search for her car. According to the news story a police helicopter, undercover officers and several patrol cars were diverted from their duties to search for the child. Prosecution of crimes such as Bennett’s is good but the department should also be aggressively filing charges against those who file false complaints against police officers. On rare occasions we have heard of the department taking action where the complainant recanted a complaint and we have seen other departments take action where video or other objective evidence clearly documented the making of a false complaint, but it’s my sense that it is the perception of members of the department that there is a reluctance on the department’s part to press charges in all but the most egregious cases. In Texas, a police officer has no civil recourse against the maker of false IAD complaint but there are criminal laws available to prosecute those who knowingly make a false report of misconduct. DPD should use those laws against those who deserve to be prosecuted. ______________________________________________________________ Bob Gorsky is a partner at the Dallas law firm of Lyon, Gorsky, Haring & Gilbert, L.L.P., 3131 McKinney Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75204; 214/965-0090, website: lyongorsky.com or email Bob at bgorsky@swbell.net.
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