That's the word just in from the Dallas Police Department, which has wrapped its investigation into whether or not the council member acted inappropriately when interfering with officers trying to do their job last week. Dash-cam video, a transcript and Officer Nathan Draughon's account of what transpired when he pulled over Bernard Burnley for running a stop sign on October 28 are all forthcoming; the item will be updated accordingly.
Till then, DPD has this and only this to offer concerning its investigation into Davis's actions: "That investigation has concluded, and the Department has determined that no criminal charges will result from this episode." Which is why the video's being released.
Still, says the department, though the council member may have been cleared of any wrongdoing, that doesn't make what she did right:
Though no criminal charges are appropriate in this case, there are laws that govern interference with police duties, and under certain circumstances, an individual could be subject to immediate arrest for impeding an officer in the performance of his/her duties. The public should be aware of the dangers that might be present to themselves or police officers anytime they intervene in a police incident. Even seemingly minor occurrences such as a traffic stop are dynamic in nature and could become life-threateningly dangerous at a moment's notice. The Police Department is better positioned to keep its officers and the public safe when officers are allowed to perform their duties without unnecessary intervention.Update at 5:29 p.m.: The incident report, Draughon's summary and a transcript of the dash-cam audio follow. It may take a while to upload all the video, as it runs about half an hour. But the transcript and report are a good start, especially if you're in need of a one-act play this evening. The Unfair Park Players are considering a performance.
The Dallas Police Department has a number of ways to receive information, question, commend or even complain about the events of a particular police incident. All citizens are encouraged to use these avenues before becoming involved in an ongoing event involving our officers.
Update at 6:04 p.m.: The video is now available after the jump.
Council Member Carolyn Davis Interferes with Traffic Stop (DASH CAM) from Dallas Observer on Vimeo.
Carolyn Davis Reports
