Dallas police chief fires 2 sergeants, suspends 1 in discipline hearings

Police Chief Eddie Garcia issued the discipline decisions in hearings Tuesday afternoon.

DALLAS — Two Dallas police officers have been fired and one was suspended in separate discipline hearings announced late Tuesday night, officials said.

Sgt. James Bristo and Sgt. Carlos Valarezo were fired, and Sgt. Kung Seng was suspended for three days.

Police Chief Eddie Garcia issued the discipline decisions in hearings on Tuesday afternoon.

Police officials said Bristo “used unnecessary and/or inappropriate force against a citizen,” failed to complete a “Response to Resistance Report” after using force and then “engaged in adverse conduct” when he was arrested on a charge of official oppression.

Valarezo was fired for violating the city code against “making offensive and unwelcome jokes or comments, demeaning language or gestures, or other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct that interferes with another employee’s working conditions,” officials said.

Seng was suspended for giving false testimony in a court proceeding, officials said.

No further specifics or information were released about the incidents.

Officers are allowed to appeal discipline decisions, according to city civil service rules.