Over the weekend, the Dallas Police Department discovered the user names and passwords for several employees had been posted on-line.  These employees had access only to the public server; as a precautionary measure the Police Department’s website was taken off line.  This access would have allowed a person to make changes to the police department’s public website but would not allow access to officers’ personal information or confidential crime reports.

At this time, it is unknown how the information was obtained.  A diagnostic of the public server is being conducted to ensure no damage has been done. The Police Department’s webpage will be brought back on line after the diagnostic is complete and we are assured that adequate cyber security measures are in place.

At approximately 9:45 pm last night, officers were flagged down by an individual  in the 2500 block of Grand Avenue who stated he had just been robbed at gunpoint and the suspect was in the process of robbing another individual.  Officers located the suspect and approached the vehicle he was in. The suspect pulled a gun on the officers forcing them to fire at the suspect.

The suspect sped away in the vehicle with the female victim still inside. Officers found the vehicle abandoned down the street and began to look for the armed suspect on foot. Officers encountered a possible suspect and attempted to detain him.

The suspect ignored officers verbal commands and reached in to his pocket causing an officer to fire his weapon at the suspect. During this criminal episode, 3 individuals were transported to Baylor with gun shot wounds. All are non life threatening. No officers were injured.

UPDATE: Officers Joshua Shipp, #9163 and Thomas Hughes, #9071, were flagged down by an individual in the 2500 block of Grand Avenue who stated he had just been robbed at gunpoint and the suspect was in the process of robbing another individual. Officers located the suspect (Donnell Collins B/M/04-07-1982) and approached the vehicle in which he was seated. The suspect pulled a gun on the officers forcing them to fire at the suspect.

The female victim was also inside the vehicle and she sustained an injury, though at this time we have not been able to determine if it was from a bullet grazing her or from the flying glass fragments. The suspect sped away in the vehicle with the female victim still inside. Officers broadcast the suspect description over the radio, including the fact that he was armed. Officers found the vehicle abandoned down the street and began to look for the armed suspect on foot.

Officer Bunthavuth Te, #10054, encountered a possible suspect that matched the description of the armed robbery suspect and attempted to detain him. Officer Te gave the suspect verbal commands to show his hands. The suspect ignored the officer’s commands and reached into his pocket. Officer Te, believed the suspect was reaching for a weapon and fearing for his life, fired one round at the suspect. It was later determined that this suspect was not connected to the robbery. Officers located and arrested Collins. He has been charged with Unlawful Restraint. During this criminal episode, Collins, the female victim and the other individual were transported to Baylor Hospital and treated for their injuries.

The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP), a joint initiative of the Dallas Bar Association and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, will hold a free Divorce Legal Clinic for Dallas County residents who meet certain financial guidelines, on Tuesday, January 24, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Belo Mansion (2101 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201).

Volunteer attorneys will provide free divorce legal assistance for low-income Dallas County residents to assist with their simple uncontested divorces. To qualify for assistance, residents must apply for help and meet certain financial guidelines, including:

Must be a Dallas County resident and

Must be a legal resident or citizen of the USA and

Must have an agreement on property division and a minimal amount of property and

Spouse must not contest anything about the divorce and

Must be no family violence within the prior two months and

Must be able to attend three daytime classes.

If residents need assistance before or after the Divorce Clinic, they can attend one of the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program’s other legal clinics held in the Dallas area eight times each month. For a full listing of the clinic, log on to

Dr. Walter Sutton

Dr. Walter Sutton, Associate General Counsel – Legal Administration and External Relations at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., will be honored by the Dallas Bar Association at the 20th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon as the recipient of the 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Justice Award at a noon luncheon on Monday, January 16, at The Belo Mansion (2101 Ross Avenue in downtown Dallas). The event is open to the public.

The award is presented to local leaders whose lives and practice exemplifies the principles embodied by Dr. King’s leadership. Former recipients include the late Hon. Barefoot Sanders, Senator Royce West, Mayor Ron Kirk, Kim Askew, Commissioner John Wiley Price, Rhonda Hunter, E. Leon Carter and Justice Carolyn Wright.

“Walter Sutton is a role model to many. He has mentored young attorneys not only through his words, but by his actions. Dr. Sutton has been at the front lines of promoting inclusion in our profession for decades,” said Paul K. Stafford, DBA’s 2012 president.

Dr. Sutton’s contributions to the community and legal profession are many. While Dr. Sutton was in Dallas, he was appointed by Dallas Mayor Steve Bartlett to serve as the first African-American to head the Environmental Health Advisory Committee.

He was also Chair of the Environmental Law Section for the Dallas Bar Association, was President of the J.L. Turner Legal Association and served as President of the National Bar Association. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.

The MLK award luncheon is open to the public; the plated lunch costs $12.76. RSVPs are required. Contact vina@dallasbar.org.

Volunteer attorneys will answer legal questions at no cost from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, and Wednesday, January 18, via LegalLine, a call-in program sponsored by the Dallas Bar Association.

LegalLine is a community service for DFW-area residents, provided the second and third Wednesdays of each month.

On these designated nights, anonymous lawyers are available to answer questions in many law-related areas ranging from divorce and child support matters, to wills, insurance, employment and criminal law matters.

Residents needing assistance should call LegalLine at (214) 220-7476 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11 or January 18.

Individuals may also receive referrals to local, legal, or social service agencies. LegalLine volunteer attorneys typically answer between 50 and 90 calls each night.

Darryl Dotson, B/M/10-31-92

Nathan Scott B/M/03-24-93

On December 18, 2011, Steven Govan, B/M/20, and Jonathan Williams, B/M/19, were found in the 300 block of Town Creek Drive deceased inside of a vehicle which had been intentionally set on fire.

On December 20, 2011, Debanair Wynn, B/M/12-04-94, was arrested for Capital Murder in connection with this case. Capital Murder warrants have also been issued for Darryl Dotson, B/M/10-31-92, and Nathan Scott B/M/03-24-93.

Please contact Homicide at 214-671-3662 if you have any information on the whereabouts of Darryl Dotson and/or Nathan Scott.

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Following an investigation by the Internal Affairs Division, Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown has issued discipline to Officer Jimmy Hollis, #6896.  Officer Hollis received a one day suspension and has been restricted from working off-duty jobs for a period of 60 days.  The Internal Affairs investigation concluded that Officer Hollis used unnecessary force when he pushed a protestor from a planter on November 5, 2011.

The protestor that was pushed from the planter was subsequently arrested for Assault on a Public Servant.  In the interest of justice, Chief Brown has requested the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office to now process this case as if it were a Grand Jury Referral.  This will mean that the District Attorney’s Office, at the request of Chief Brown, will present the case to the Grand Jury without arguing for or against an indictment.  This will allow the decision on whether or not an indictment is appropriate to rest solely with the Grand Jury.

Also in the interest of justice, Police Chief Brown has requested the City Attorney’s Office to dismiss all “Use of Sidewalk” charges issued during the protest on that date.

Officer Hollis is a 19 year veteran of the Police Department and is assigned to the Personnel and Development Division.

That’s a good thing if we can eliminate crime or at least prevent it from happening – but at what cost? Take a look at the graphic for how these systems work and just how close we may be.

Created by: Criminology

Dallas Police Robbery Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect who is responsible for two aggravated robberies.

The first robbery occurred at 11:10 am on November 24, 2011 at the Metro PCS located at 4864 S. Buckner Blvd. This offense is documented on case # 308863-Y.

Metro PCS Robbery

The second offense occurred at 9:00 am on November 29, 2011 at the Dallas Amigos Food Mart located at 7640 Military Pkwy. This offense is documented on case # 312785-Y.

Dallas Amigos Food Mart

Both offenses were captured on surveillance video. See the two Youtube videos of the two offenses.

The suspect, who is described as a black male, in his 20’s, standing 6’00” and weighing between 140-160 lbs. In both videos the suspect is seen wearing a dark jacket, black gloves, dark jeans, and winter hat with fur on it that covered his ears. One video shows the hat to be black and the other shows it to be covered with a red item. The suspect uses a revolver in both robberies.

If you have information about this suspect or this crime, please call Crimestoppers at (214) 373-TIPS (8477), between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or call the Dallas Police Robbery Unit at (214) 671-3584.