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OCPO reports outreach work, immigration guide and budget planning
Summary
Director Michelle Andre updated the board on OCPO community outreach, a 'Know Your Rights' immigration guide, priority‑based budgeting preparations and internal scheduling for reality‑based training observations.
The Office of Community Police Oversight (OCPO) delivered a director’s report on April 1 outlining recent outreach and administrative work, including a new “Know Your Rights: Immigration in Dallas” guide and FY26 budget preparations under a priority‑based budgeting model.
Michelle Andre, director of OCPO, said staff participated in ride‑alongs with central patrol and observed reality‑based training (RBT) at the Dallas Police Academy. Andre said she will attend an immigration panel at the LULAC District 3 conference and that OCPO developed the Know Your Rights flyer to inform residents about Dallas Police Department general orders, the ICE detainee locator, ACLU of Texas resources and library‑card protections.
“Under the direction of policy analyst Sierra Obasuyi, our office developed a Know Your Rights immigration guide,” Andre said. She described the handout as a resource intended to connect residents to legal help and clarify local procedures regarding immigration enforcement and police contact.
Andre also briefed the board on FY26 budget work. OCPO submitted its FY26 budget request and is preparing for the city’s priority‑based budgeting process, which allocates funds to programs tied to city values and community priorities rather than department line items. She described the approach as potentially improving transparency and aligning resources to community needs but noted it requires more time and precise program cost data.
Community engagement updates: Senior outreach specialist Alma Perez told the board OCPO attended multiple listening sessions and pop‑up events in March across council districts and will participate in several April community events, including crime‑victim resource fairs and cultural celebrations that include toy drives for children’s organizations. Perez said OCPO provided bilingual outreach materials and staffed pop‑ups to help residents file complaints and learn about oversight roles.
Staffing and intake: The board met OCPO’s new complaint intake specialist, Yolanda Cole, who began in February and has more than 15 years of experience in child protective investigations and crisis intervention. Cole introduced herself to the board and said she looks forward to handling intake for the office.
Why it matters: OCPO’s outreach and informational resources are intended to increase public access to oversight functions and to provide legal‑rights information for immigrant communities; the budget and staffing updates show OCPO preparing for growth and for next fiscal year planning.
