DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – The Dallas Police Department held a panel discussion at Police Headquarters Friday a year after the Dallas Police ambush.
Assistant Chief Randy Blakenbaker said the investigation in last July’s Police shootings is still ongoing, but is wrapping up on their end.
“We expect to be able to turn the investigation of to the Dallas County District Attorney early next week,” Blakenbaker said.
Officers on the panel said several policies have changed since the shootings within the department.
“We’ve changed the way we deal with protest management,” said Interim Police Chief David Pughes.” We now give our officers the opportunity to wear enhanced safety gear when working protests if they choose to wear it.”
Pughes said at one time Officers didn’t wear the gear at protests in concern that it would bring fear to the public. But Pughes says the Department learned last July that Officer safety is a top priority.
Because the shootings are still under investigation Police couldn’t say much. But Blakenbaker did describe the intensity of the shootout with the killer.
“We found more than 200 rounds and 118 shells within 44 feet of the Officer’s and the shooter,” Blakenbaker said.
He also said that he believes more Officers and possibly civilians would have been killed without the department’s decision to send a robot in to kill the shooter.
Events are planned across Dallas this weekend to pay tribute to the fallen Officers.
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