Lupe Valdez - Controversy

Controversy

Valdez's tenure has been marked by a number of controversies, including:

• Allegedly poor communications inside the department, with county officials, and with the press.
• Dallas County jails still failing state inspections, though with improving levels of compliance at least partly due to Dallas County spending "millions" to improve sanitation and jail health.
• Declining arrest rates for driving while intoxicated and alleged disproportionate DWI arrests of Hispanics.
• High levels of overtime.
• Using trainee jail guards in the jails.
• Taking 2 years to successfully pass her Texas Peace Officer Certification examination after being elected.
• Engaging in campaign activities while in uniform. However, according to state law in Texas, it is not illegal for elected law enforcement officers, including sheriffs and constables, to campaign in their uniform.
• Grant applications management controversies.
• Failing to update promotion lists via testing, and promoting some staff without currently valid lists.
• Allowing some deputies to use take-home cars outside county Commissioners' Court-approved guidelines.
• Violating "long-standing policy" in Dallas County, which was upheld by a state district judge, by authorizing the Discovery Channel to film a documentary without gaining required Commissioner Court permission. This prompted the Commissioners Court to unanimously seek (and ultimately get) a restraining order against the Sheriff. The Dallas Morning News editorial board criticized the Sheriff's handling of the matter: "the positive publicity from finally meeting state standards would have been superior to that of a cable documentary and an unnecessary fight with those who hold her purse strings." The legal costs to the county could be as high as $11,000.
• Average freeway wreck clearing time has increased from 16 minutes in 2004 to 45 minutes in 2007.
• Eliminating patrol officers and moving all of them to freeway patrols for a goal of "boosting ticket revenue".