DALLAS – The City of Dallas and the Dallas Police Department have been investigating allegations connected with the Project Reconnect/Offender Re-entry Program since July 2012. As a result of several months of investigative work, one employee was referred to the Grand Jury on January 29. Tuesday, eight other employees were placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
All files connected with the inquiry have been secured; access has been restricted to City offices, computers and related technology.
“Properly administering federal funds is an important role of municipal government and it is imperative that the process and guidelines are strictly followed,” said City Manager Mary K. Suhm. “Other law enforcement agencies may join the investigation as appropriate,” she said.
“It is paramount the City protects the integrity of this investigation to maintain the public’s trust,” said Mayor Mike Rawlings. “As soon as city management discovered irregularities swift action was taken to bring allegations to law enforcement, and I’m confident the process is working as it should with the proper scope and depth of this type of investigation,” he added.
The programs funded with these grants are an important safety net for a segment of the Dallas community and the City is doing everything possible to keep these programs operating with as little interruption as possible while under review.
