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CPOB votes to open two independent investigations, approves minutes
Summary
The Dallas Community Police Oversight Board approved the previous meeting minutes and voted to open independent investigations into complaints from Tiffany Zaharko Guanajuato and Abdul Samad; the board declined further investigation into Bernard Purdy’s complaint after Internal Affairs’ findings.
At its April meeting the Community Police Oversight Board unanimously approved the previous meeting’s minutes and took votes on three independent‑review requests tied to police conduct investigations.
The board voted unanimously to direct the Office of Community Police Oversight (OCPO) to open independent investigations into two complaints: one from Tiffany Zaharko Guanajuato (filed 01/29/2025) alleging officers failed to investigate and document injuries in a domestic‑violence arrest, and a second from Abdul Mohammed Samad (complaint dated 12/23/2024) alleging incomplete crash and assault reporting following a traffic collision in Pleasant Grove.
Investigator Greg Huff summarized the Zaharko Guanajuato complaint and OCPO’s preliminary review. Huff said the DPD report documented only the reporting party’s statement and included no officer‑taken photographs of Zaharko Guanajuato, though evidence uploaded to Evidence.com contained photos of the other party and blood inside the apartment. Huff said OCPO’s preliminary assessment disagreed with the Internal Affairs Division’s initial decision that the matter related only to guilt or innocence and therefore required no administrative inquiry; the board voted 15–0 to open an independent investigation.
On the Samad complaint, Huff said his review found no reference in the initial crash report to Samad’s claim that the passenger and driver identities had been switched at the scene and that a separate vehicle had threatened to run him over. Internal Affairs had closed its preliminary review finding no policy violation; the board voted 15–0 to direct OCPO to investigate further.
By contrast, the board declined to open an independent investigation for Bernard Purdy’s complaint. Purdy, who is legally blind, alleged an officer grabbed his wrist and raised his voice during a December interaction. Investigator Huff said Internal Affairs conducted a full investigation, exonerated the unnecessary‑use‑of‑force allegation and sustained a discourtesy allegation; the board accepted the department’s findings and voted not to pursue separate OCPO investigation.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of regular meeting minutes: motion to approve carried unanimously. - Case 10‑CI‑NI‑2025‑0128 (Tiffany Zaharko Guanajuato): motion to investigate — PASSED unanimously (15‑0). Motion text: “I move that the office do a fuller investigation of this matter to make a determination as to whether or not there was a violation of Dallas Police Department general orders.” - Case 10‑CI‑(Bernard Purdy): motion to accept IAD disposition / no independent investigation — PASSED (board voted not to investigate). - Case 10‑CI‑(Abdul Samad): motion to investigate — PASSED unanimously (15‑0).
Board members discussed the scope of possible OCPO investigations and confirmed the office will notify complainants of the board’s votes. Chair John Mark Davidson explained that the board will receive full investigative reports at a later meeting if OCPO proceeds with independent review.
Why it matters: The board’s decisions determine whether OCPO will undertake independent administrative reviews of how Dallas police handled these incidents. OCPO investigations can identify policy violations, recommend discipline or suggest policy changes.
