The voter-approved HERO amendment requires DPD to employ at least 4,000 officers.
DALLAS — The Dallas Police Department has surpassed 3,200 officers on its force, a milestone it has not reached since 2017, according to city documents.
DPD’s hiring and retention numbers has been under a microscope since the passage of the voter-approved HERO amendments, which requires the department to employ at least 4,000 officers.
In a city memorandum sent June 3 to the Public Safety Committee, DPD said it had hosted two on-site hiring events at Jack Evans Headquarters in May. These events resulted in 97 applicants, according to the memo. These events were two of more than a dozen events where DPD recruited in the month of May, the memo said.
In May, DPD swore in 43 recruits and lost 21 to attrition, according to the memo. Those numbers for the fiscal year 2024-25 are 201 and 108, respectively.
In the November 2024 election, Dallas voters passed Proposition U, also known as a HERO proposal, which requires the city to maintain a force of at least 4,000 officers. Dallas HERO alleged in a notification of claim sent in March that the city had a force of 3,169 officers as of Feb. 7, 2025, 831 short of what Prop U requires. Proposition U also requires earmarking at least 50% of new revenue each year to fund the Dallas Police and Fire Pension fund.
Dallas HERO, an organization backed by a GOP donor, said in the letter that the city has 60 days to meet the requirement, or until May 30, 2025, or face potential litigation. The Dallas Police Department released a new recruitment video on its Facebook page just hours after Dallas HERO sent its letter in March.
DPD said it has 3,215 officers as of the end of May, just under 800 short of the HERO amendment requirements.
DPD has never had more than 3,700 officers dating back to 2010, according to the city memo. Here is a staffing breakdown year-by-year:
- FY 2010-11: 3,690
- FY 2011-12: 3,515
- FY 2012-13: 3535
- FY 2013-14: 3,500
- FY 2014-15: 3,555
- FY 2015-16: 3,489
- FY 2016-17: 3,362
- FY 2017-18: 3,058
- FY 2018-19: 3,067
- FY 2019-20: 3,149
- FY 2020-21: 3,120
- FY 2021-22: 3,084
- FY 2022-23: 3,058
- FY 2023-24: 3,121
- FY 2024-25: 3,192
What is DPD doing to recruit officers?
DPD’s recruiting efforts have gone as far as trying to poach officers from other departments, like in Houston. DPD has posted billboards in Huntsville, Galveston County, Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston, according to a city memo. They also have mall displays in in Houston, San Antonio, and Arlington.
The city memo also says DPD has been recruiting with ESPN online streaming ads, targeting all sports featured on ESPN in Texas, Miss., Ala., Ga., N.Y., Calif., and Fla. There are 12 DART busses with recruiting ads on them from May 5 through Oct. 19, notably including the State of Texas.
DPD said it will also being a movie theater campaign in 47 locations during the summer.
Here is a list of the Dallas Police Department Recruiting events during May:
- Dallas Cinco de Mayo Parade
- TCC NW Campus Career Fair
- Del Mar Law Enforcement Academy
- 2025 Entrepreneur Fest & Career Expo
- Wings Over South Texas
- Eastfield Class Presentation
- Fort Cavazos Recruit Military Event
- Dallas Bike Ride
- Carry the Load
- El Paso Fort Bliss
- TCC SE Campus Career Fair
- Special Olympics Event
- Coastal Bend Criminal Justice Class
- Heros Fest
- Barksdale Air Force Base Police Week
- Sharing Life Community Job Fair
- AAPI Dragon Boat Festival
- Military Recruit Event – Phoenix
- Austin Career Fair
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux took over for Eddie Garcia in April of this year. Comeaux told WFAA in a one-on-one sit-down that hiring new officers was one of his priorities.