Hall: Trump’s police reform plan is floor, not ceiling; nearly all Administration suggestions already completed locally.

The Dallas Police Chief Wednesday delivered her assessment of President Donald J. Trump’s signed Executive Order this week. Tuesday, the President outlined a package of recommendations for the nation’s law enforcement agencies. It included training, protocols, procedures, and technology suggestions departments could choose to implement. In the City of Dallas, however, Chief Renee Hall said the Administration’s guidelines are already part of the General Orders or are targeted to be completed quickly. Hall said DPD and City Hall are now on a “listening mission” to define the next generation of reform.

Hall noted that the Executive Order suggested a ban on chokeholds but did not forbid the practice, a form of which was used against George Floyd and caused his death in Minneapolis.

“This was eliminated in 2004, some 16 years ago,” said Hall, “then it was added to DPD’s General Orders this month.”

She explained that prior chiefs took steps to coach recruits about their responsibility to stop and/or report any officer using excessive force. This month, however, Hall added the Duty to Intervene to the department’s General Orders. That action means anyone who violates the policy would face an investigation or official review.

Mr. Trump did not include a policy regarding mandatory intervention.

“With the exception of the national database requirement which is not in our purview,” said Hall, “the Dallas Police Department has already implemented or will establish imminently, all of the reforms announced Tuesday,” said Hall. She also said any changes will be General Orders, not recommendations.

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