Dallas cops mock disabled military vet after he urinated on himself
Four Dallas police officers are under investigation after they were caught on video laughing about a disabled military veteran who urinated on himself when he was prohibited from using a restaurant bathroom.
US Army vet Dynell Lane told the Dallas Police Department’s oversight board that two off-duty cops working security at Serious Pizza refused to let him use the bathroom around 2:15 a.m. on June 10 — despite his efforts to show them his medical paperwork documenting his medical issues, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Lane, who was disabled on deployment in the Middle East, said he called 911 but responders did not arrive before he wet himself.
“The Dallas Police Department failed me,” Lane told the board at its monthly meeting on Aug. 8.
“Two Dallas police officers discriminated against me and declined to assist me in bridging the gap between myself and the Serious Pizza manager.”
Body camera footage from one of the two off-duty cops shows two other uniformed officers arrive at the pizza joint and ask about a report of someone who “pissed themselves,” according to the paper.
“So you guys made a guy pee himself?” one of the on-duty officers says in the shocking exchange, holding her fist to her mouth as she laughs.
“Yeah,” one of the off-duty officers responds, smiling. He looks at the other off-duty officer, who appears to ask, “He called 911?”
The officers say Lane called 911 about the officers not letting him into the restroom. One off-duty officer says, “He called 911 on us?”
The uniformed officers respond, “yeah.”
“Ahhh!” the off-duty cop replies before slapping his knee and roaring laughter. The other off-duty officer smirks.
“He got mad you guys wouldn’t let him use the restroom and then he calls back and said it’s OK he doesn’t need to pee anymore because he soiled —” one of the on-duty officers says before the other one appears to shut off their body camera.
DPD’s internal affairs division initially found that the officers did not violate department policy, however, police told NBC 5 that an internal affairs administrative investigation is now underway into the disturbing complaint.
A police spokeswoman told the Dallas Morning News this week that the department is “looking into the complaint.”
Oversight board members, meanwhile, blasted the internal affairs division for not investigating further.
“That absolutely turned my stomach,” said board member Jonathan Maples, who said he served in the Marines. “It’s absolutely appalling to treat one of our veterans that way.”
Board member Derric Pegram cited the Dallas Police Department code of conduct — which states an employee shouldn’t ridicule, mock, taunt or belittle any person whether they are on or off duty, according to the paper.
“If he had not even shown the card, he is still a person,” he said. “He didn’t need to talk about his disability.”
Milkshake Concepts, a restaurant company that owns Serious Pizza, told the Dallas Morning News in a statement that it was aware of the situation.
“To provide a safe environment for all of our guests and team members, we hire off-duty Dallas Police Department officers,” the statement said. “We are reviewing our safety procedures to avoid similar incidents while continuing to ensure the safety and comfort of our team members and guests, as that is our top priority.”
Texas is one of many states that has a bathroom access law known as “Ally’s Law,” according to the paper.
The law states that anyone lawfully on the premises of an establishment who provides proof of a medical condition that requires bathroom access must be allowed to use the facilities.
Lane said was wounded during deployment in Afghanistan and Kuwait as an army sergeant, requiring several surgeries on his lower body. The US Army confirmed his service to the paper.
He had his federal and state IDs on him as well as his medical documentation.
“If a retail establishment chooses to ignore a person who is trying to present such documents, they should be held accountable, for this is why [the Americans With Disabilities Act] is in place,” Lane told the oversight board.
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