Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Conduct topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dallas oversight board sustains finding and urges training after officer—s profane traffic-stop remark
Summary
The board accepted OCPO investigator Hough—s recommendation to change a division finding to sustained for Senior Corporal Matthew Wolford, citing use of indecent/profane language during a traffic stop; the board voted unanimously to refer the recommendation, including reinstated training, to the police chief.
The Community Police Oversight Board voted unanimously to accept the Office of Community Police Oversight investigator's findings in a traffic-stop complaint and to refer recommended discipline and training to the Dallas Police Department.
Investigator Hough summarized the Devon Leach complaint, which alleges a Dallas officer used a profane threatening phrase during a traffic stop. Hough recounted the body-worn-camera exchange and told the board the officer can be heard saying, "if you touch it I'm gonna smoke your ***," language the office concluded violated Code of Conduct Section 4.15 (no employee shall use indecent or profane language in the performance of official duties). OCPO recommended reinstating the division—s prior recommendation for training and changing the division referral finding to "sustained."
Board members debated whether the phrase, often used as slang, constitutes a heightened threat coming from a uniformed, armed officer. Jonathan Maples and others said the context of an armed officer elevates the phrase's seriousness for a resident on the receiving end. Investigative staff and supervisors applied tactical context — including whether the driver made any movement toward the weapon and whether cover officers or a dispatch alert were requested — during the discussion.
Dee Wadsworth (District 12) moved to accept Investigator Hough—s findings and to refer the recommendation to the police chief; Brandon Freeman seconded. The board then conducted a roll-call vote and the chair announced the yays were unanimous. The referral package includes the recommendation to reinstate training for Senior Corporal Matthew Wolford and encourages DPD to review language-use protocols for citizen interactions.
OCPO staff noted that this board's sustained finding does not automatically equal a sustained departmental finding; the DPD will make a final determination and, if DPD sustains, the finding will become part of the officer's record. Several board members requested follow-up on the department's response and training outcomes at a future meeting.
The board's vote and referral formalize OCPO's administrative recommendation to DPD and mark the matter for the department's final action and any subsequent discipline or training implementation.
