The Morning News' Tanya Eiserer and WFAA's Rebecca Lopez teamed up last night for what has to be one of the more bizarre stories to emerge from the Dallas Police Department in recent years.
Their reports revealed that Regina Smith, a DPD lieutenant in charge of burglary and theft detectives in the southwest and northwest patrol units, has had a sideline gig running Big Rush In, LLC., a small hip-hop label, and performing herself under the name Lucille Baller. That's odd enough, particularly when you see Smith posing in an I Love Lucy-style wig, but what the stories focus on is the content of Lucille Baller's lyrics.
"Don't push Ms. Lucy, because you won't like the consequences," she wraps on a recording. "Mess with me or I will shoot a [expletive], cuz Lucille Baller, she been to hell and back."
A video that has since been removed from her website includes Smith saying things like, "You know what I would do to somebody who tried to take advantage of me. You see this bullet right here. I'll stick it from they rooter to the tooter and bring it out."
There is perhaps some bad judgment here, along with some questionable rhyming, but the story is rooted in tragedy. Smith explains on her website that the record label was inspired by -- and named for -- her late husband, Norman Smith, aka the Big Russian. He died on January 6, 2009 while serving a warrant on a robbery suspect. The label and the ridiculous persona seems to be where she funneled her grief.
Whatever her motivation, Smith's public allusions to violence will not be good for her career. CBS 11 is reporting that she was suspended yesterday after the website came to light.
Update at 9:12 a.m.: And here's the video cited by WFAA and the Morning News.
