Nothing to See Here: Dallas Police Chief Denies Partnership With Anti-Gay Church

Statement Contradicts Previous Accounts of Department’s Relationship With Megachurch

In response to concerns from LGBT groups, Dallas police Chief David Brown is denying that his department has a formal relationship with bigoted Pastor Robert Jeffress and his Southern Baptist megachurch. Jeffress is also a Fox News contributor and has a long history of anti-LGBT statements.

On Saturday, we reported that LGBT groups were calling on Brown to end the partnership, in response to Jeffress’ latest hateful tirade, in which he asserted that pro-LGBT business are a bigger threat to the United States than the terror group ISIS. 

Shortly after our story was published, the police department posted the following item titled, “A Message from the Chief,” on its blog: 

“As Chief, one of my greatest worries is the physical and emotional well-being of officers as they put their lives on the line every day to protect the citizens of Dallas. We encourage and support all of our officers who seek out services offered to maintain their physical, emotional, and spiritual health regardless of their religious affiliation.”

On April 17, 2016, First Baptist Dallas held a Back the Blue Event to show support for officers and offered free services to officers and their families.

There is no agreement or relationship between the Dallas Police Department and First Baptist Dallas to provide services to officers.

Brown’s statement appears to contradict previous accounts of the partnership. On April 13, Brown attended a press conference with Jeffress to announce the upcoming “Back the Blue Event.” 

“This is not just a one-day photo op with the Dallas Police Department,” Jeffress said at the press conference, according to WFAA-TV. “This Sunday signals a beginning of an ongoing relationship with the Dallas Police Department.” 

According to The Dallas Morning News, Jeffress said the congregation would fund scholarships for officers’ children to attend Bible camps, host a weekly Sunday School service for officers, and provide free counseling to officers and their families. The church also planned to create a fund for Brown to take his officers out to show thanks. 

“We are very grateful and thankful to First Baptist Dallas for all that they are doing, and we are really, really excited about this Sunday and the many, many Sundays thereafter where this church will be supporting our officers,” Brown said at the press conference, according to a video clip later posted by the church:

In another video promoting the event, Brown stood alongside Jeffress and said: “I’m excited about this special opportunity that First Baptist Dallas is offering to each of us and our families. Not only will the church be showing their support with a special breakfast reception, gifts and more, but they are going to provide an ongoing network of support like never before.”

Jeffress’ brother happens to be a longtime Dallas police officer, and some have speculated that Brown’s decision to partner with the church was politically motivated. Amid rising violent crime rates, the chief has recently faced calls to resign, including from major police officer groups. 

The spike in violent crime has included a string of anti-gay attacks in Oak Lawn, the city’s traditional LGBT neighborhood, and advocates have accused the department — which has made no arrests in connection with the incidents — of failing to adequately respond to the problem. 

Brown’s statement on Saturday appeared to have done little to alleviate concerns about the partnership. 

“They had a week, and the best they could come up with is ‘These aren’t the droids you’re looking for?'” Councilman Philip Kingston, a staunch LGBT ally who represents part of Oak Lawn, wrote on Twitter. 

Gay bar owner Lee Daugherty, whose employees have been among the victims of the anti-gay attacks, called Brown’s statement “pandering.”

“I still don’t have clarification on the relationship between FBC and DPD,” Daugherty wrote. “Staying silent on hate speech, is the same as promoting it. Take a stand Chief, Dallas isn’t this, and won’t be. We are better than this.”

Dallas crime watchdog Avi Adelman said he’s filed a public information request for details about the partnership, but the department told him it would take nearly a month to compile the records. 

“If you think for one moment that is a truthful statement, then I have a bridge over the Trinity River I want to sell you,” Adelman wrote of Brown’s statement. “I am sure a strong attempt to cover the documents is already in the works.”

 

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Image: Screenshot via First Dallas/Vimeo