The city says Dallas HERO used a photo of someone appearing to be a DPD officer wearing the department’s insignia on campaign flyers.
DALLAS — The city of Dallas sent another cease-and-desist letter to Dallas HERO — the group that collected signatures to put three charter amendments on the November ballot — demanding again that the group stop using city materials in its campaign.
One of the charter amendments proposes allocating half the city’s new revenue to improving police and fire pensions, hiring 900 police officers and improving police pay. Others would put the city manager on performance-based pay and allow citizens to sue city officials if they don’t follow the law. Here’s what to know about the Dallas charter amendments on the ballot , including the Dallas HERO-backed S, T and U.
The city sent a cease-and-desist letter to the group earlier this month over a photo used on Dallas HERO’s website showing three Dallas police officers and including the city’s trademark and logo. The city said at that time that the officers didn’t give the group permission to use their likeness and the city didn’t give them permission to use the insignia.
The city sent another letter to the group after officials say they used a photo of a person purporting to be a Dallas police officer wearing what appears to be the Dallas Police Department’s insignia on campaign flyers.
“The stock photograph on their campaign flyers was modified to bear the likeness of the Dallas Police Department’s insignia, making it appear to be a photograph of a Dallas police officer, which it is not. The City, including the Dallas Police Department, are not affiliated with Dallas HERO and did not give permission for Dallas HERO to use the City’s badge or insignia. Moreover, the use of the City’s badge and insignia without permission is strictly prohibited by the Dallas City Code.”
Pete Marocco, executive director of Dallas HERO, previously called Dallas’ first cease-and-desist letter “political engineering” in a statement to WFAA.
“The press release was nothing more than…political engineering and we’ve warned the officers in the city to cease their illicit misrepresentations,” Marocco said. “If the city does not retract their illicit abuse of public resources to advocate against government reform and more police, we’ll see them in court again soon.”
WFAA has reached back out to Marocco for comment on the new letter. We’ll update this story as additional information becomes available.