Black, white, and blue

For TPOA leaders, the new black chief does not allay their concerns about discipline. "I believe the fact that we have an African-American as a chief of police will be used to act like we have a solution," Glover says. "Well, it isn't."

If the Justice Department decides the police department has racially discriminated against officers, Bolton may face a whole new set of rules and bureaucracy intended to ensure that the top brass don't treat any employees differently because of their color.

Michael Hogue

Mark Graham

Black police officers don't get "the benefit of the doubt" when it comes to discipline, says Senior Cpl. Roosevelt Holiday, who sued the department and received $76,000.

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More About

• Roosevelt Holiday
• U.S. Department of Justice
• Terrell Bolton
• Racial Issues
• Police

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In late November, the Justice lawyers asked the city for a slew of data "to move the investigation along," they wrote. They also asked to interview Bolton and other current and former top-level officers. Justice also wanted to talk with the presidents of the four Dallas police associations. (The city is negotiating with Justice and Bush over his lawsuit.)

For lawyers who have looked at the numbers and know the history of the city with employment-discrimination claims, the odds appear strong that Justice can, if the agency is so inclined, build a case.

"If they get shy, it won't be because of the facts," says civil rights lawyer Mike Daniels, who has opposed the city in housing-discrimination claims. TPOA's Glover is more blunt: "They'll make a case unless somebody gets to them."