Dallas, TX – Dallas police Chief David Kunkle issued a public apology Friday after learning that a rookie officer issued a ticket to a motorist because she couldn’t speak English.
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“We don’t have abilities to determine proficiency in any language, and we shouldn’t be doing it in the first place,” Kunkle said. “I apologize to the Spanish-speaking Hispanic community.”
After a review of the records, Kunkle said about a half-dozen officers had issued a total of 38 similar citations. He said police would recommend to the courts that any pending cases be dismissed.
“Any citations that were paid, we’re going to reimburse the people who paid the citation,” Kunkle added.
The Dallas Police Department said it was embarrassed by what it calls a mistake by rookie Officer Gary Bromley after he stopped Ernestina Mondragon for making an illegal U-turn.
In addition for being cited for the U-turn violation, Mondragon received another ticket for being a “non-English speaking driver.”
Bromley and his supervisors met Friday morning with police superiors. The department has launched an internal affairs investigation.
“We’re looking at dereliction of duty for the officers who wrote the citation, and also dereliction of duty for the sergeants who reviewed each of these citations and allowed them to go through our system,” Kunkle said.
The chief met with the Mondragon family before speaking with reporters.
Dallas City Council member Delia Jasso is trying to assure the public that the officer made a mistake.
“What I want people to know is that we do not give tickets for speaking Spanish, especially when you’re driving a car,” Jasso said.
The department has recently hired more than 400 new officers. Jasso questioned whether police need to take a closer look at the qualifications of applicants.
And what happened when they went to court ?
chances are they didnt go because they were afraid of being deported or other reason
they are right, this is an English speaking country the least you can do is talk the bloody language
“they are right, this is an English speaking country the least you can do is talk the bloody language”
Agreed. We should expel all those chassidim in Brooklyn and Monsey who speak only yiddish and hardly a vert of english.
Sorry, but I believe you should be able to speak AND read english to drive a motor vehicle in this country -for safety and no other reason.
While driving a car how is a non english speaking driver supposed to follow verbal instructions from an english speaking police officer or other english speaking emergency responder, none the less READ instructions??? oh i guess all emergency responders (i.e. police, fire , ems) should learn spanish, yeah that makes more sense – NOT!
Isn’t the ability to read road signs a requirement for drivers?
I’m not sure if evryone needs or dose not need to speek English in order to drive I see the point on both sides I think the issue evryone is missing is what in the world is the bloody law if that dumb state did they commit a crime or not that’s what it should be about
Just sit back and wait untill only the road signs will be posted in Spanish… I called a friend lately, his voicemail picked up: for English press 1, for Spanish return to where you come from!…
I dont see where the drivers were ticketed for not speaking english. On the summons it says “disregarding traffic control device” which means they went through a red light or stop sign.
Then in the comments the officer wrote non english speaking driver.
I dont see the big controversy.
this is the dumbest thing ever people talking about languages pleas I bet half of people dont know how to even speak proper english with all that gangster talk and. They pay your roads and keep walmart thriving with cheap prices so dont hate
Guess what Dallas Chief, Federal Motor carrier rules REQUIRE drivers of Commercial vehicles to speak ENGLISH. The stories do not provide information on what type of vehicle was beinbg operated… so untill the chief actually reads the LAW. He may have spoken too soon.