University of North Texas 
DENTON, Texas - Black Lives Matter protestors in Denton are calling for the defunding of the Denton Police Department and allocating that money to social services like housing, homelessness, and mental health. Darius “DJ” Tarver, who was a student at the University of North Texas, was fatally shot by a local police officer last spring. Tarver, along with many others around the country, have fueled and motivated the BLM protests at the Denton Square.
“Being a Black man, also a police officer in Denton, on top of that a police chief, there's a lot of different things that I think about on a daily basis,” Denton Police Chief Frank Dixon said. “You know, I can see it from a couple of different lenses, not totally unique but unique in the sense of when you take the message from the Black Lives Matter movement and what the organization is about, you can't look into the mirror as an officer and not understand that there are areas of the criminal justice system that need some serious reform and policing is one part of it.”
Over the last four years, the Denton Police budget has increased by $4 million dollars, going from $31 million to $35 million. Over the same period, the combined budget for social services like Giving Hope, Denton County Friends of the Family, and Monsignor King Homeless has slowly increased from $567,000 to $681,000. For the fiscal year 2020-2021, the city reported a 2.6% increase to the social services budget on page 49 of the budget proposal, but allocated less funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
The CDBG funds are received from the Federal Government. For the FY 2020-2021, the city received over a million dollars from this grant which is a 6% increase from the prior year. So, despite being given more grant money, the proposed budget will defund the social services budget by a hundred thousand dollars, leaving it around the same as the overall budget back in 2016.
The Community Development Advisory Committee decides how the grant money is allocated. Members of this committee are nominated by Denton city council members. For the November election, Keely Briggs and Gerard Hudspeth, who have both served on city council, are running for mayor. Briggs has nominated three committee members, which is more than other city council members.
Dixon believes that the only way to properly defund a police department is to do it “systematically” and “methodically.” This would move funding from year to year so that it could provide funding for social changes and services. However, this would need to happen now so that in five years this could be a feasible idea.
“It is very important to know that when you talk about moving funding from a police department into social services, there are some long-term impacts, some very immediate very potential impacts that would be negative on our community should that happen without having a plan in place,” Dixon said.
This process can't happen overnight.
In the meantime, Dixon encourages Denton residents to attend the Citizens Police Academy (CPA), which is a 12-week program, and once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, sign up for a ride along with a police officer.
“I promise you, you will leave there with a total different perspective, with a better understanding, and more importantly the conversations that you will have along the way in that six to twelve hours that you spend with that police officer will really bridge that gap for both of you,” Dixon said.
Denton, TX August 22, 2020
Hundreds attended the Back the Blue rally that was held on the Denton Square. The
event was met by Black Lives Matter protestors who were there to anti-protest the
event. Law enforcement made a barrier between the two groups to keep tensions from
escalating.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX August 22, 2020
Black Lives Matter activists in Denton protesting the killing of Breonna Taylor,
George Floyd, and Darius ‘DJ' Tarver.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX October 10, 2020
Two young women organized a Black Lives Matter protest and left signs on the Courthouse
lawn for anyone to pick up and join the protest. They also provided bottled water,
snacks, and extra face masks.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX October 10, 2020
Denton police officers meeting in the front of the Denton Courthouse before the start
of the Black Lives Protest and the counter protest from a right-wing organization.
They dispersed afterwards to cover both sides of the Courthouse.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX August 22, 2020
Two police officers quickly made their way over to a conversation that was beginning
to become intense. They stood to the side to make sure both groups maintained a respectable
distance.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX August 22, 2020
A Back the Blue protestor standing with their banner over sidewalk art in front of
the Denton Courthouses. The sidewalk art was created from a prior event held by Black
Lives Matter activists.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX August 22, 2020
A police officer stands in the middle of the Blue Lives Matter rally that hundreds
came to attend on the lawn of the Denton Courthouse. The rally hosted speakers and
politicians running for office.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX August 22, 2020
Police officers detaining a protestor while a Back the Blue protestor antagonizes
a Black Lives Matter protestor while she is on her knee. She was silently protesting
the arrest that was being made.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX October 10, 2020
Two Denton police officers were patrolling the lawns of the Courthouse before the
start of the Black Lives Matter protest when they were stopped by a man who wanted
to have a conversation.
PC: Fiona Scoggin
Denton, TX October 10, 2020
A Denton police officer stands to the side to ensure that Black Lives Matter protests
are able to protest safely during the counter protest from a right leaning group.
The police officers allowed the two groups to engage in conversation, but, in the
past, have created a wall to separate all the protestors.
PC: Fiona Scoggin