Dallas Police Chief Decries Cop’s Racist Coin With Drug-Dealing Doughboy
MESSED UP
The Dallas Police Department is investigating a memorabilia coin with racist caricatures of Black people that was being sold by one of its officers on Facebook. On one side of the South Central Patrol Division medallion, a Pillsbury Doughboy rises above what appears to be a drug house with money in one hand and a semi-automatic rifle in the other. The character has black eyes and a grill in its mouth. Next to the reimagined Doughboy is a cop car and a purple car with massive gold rims. The Dallas city skyline looms over the menacing character, and “Big ‘T’ Plaza” and “South Central” are printed across the coin. The other side of the coin commemorates the South Central Dallas Police Department for 15 years of service, from 2007 to 2022. The Black Police Association has slammed the challenge coin for being racist. In a statement, Mike Mata, the head of the Dallas Police Association, said he wanted to “apologize to any person who was hurt or offended by the post.” He also vowed “to be more diligent in [his] duties to ensure that this organization and the media sites within it respects all members.” The name of the officer who created the coin has not been released.