Dallas Officer on Administrative Leave Amid Investigation Into Racist Challenge Coin

A Dallas police officer is on administrative leave amid an investigation into a racist challenge coin shared and sold online, Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia says.

The challenge coin was advertised online for sale to fellow officers before police leadership discovered it and pulled it offline.

Garcia said he will not tolerate actions that tarnish the badge or diminish the trust the community places in the department and said the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

"This may have happened at the DPD before I got here. This is the first time it's happened since I've been here and I'm going to tell you right now I'm not having it," Garcia said. "It's not going to continue on my watch. We have a standard at the Dallas Police Department. I will not allow an individual to stain that or tarnish our badge and what we're doing."

The chief apologized to the community and said if there's a culture change that needs to happen he will change it or die trying.

I apologize to the members of our community that felt disrespected by what was depicted on that coin. This is not what the Dallas Police stands for and it will not stand for that as long as it is my watch.

Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia

Terrance Hopkins, president of The Black Police Association of Greater Dallas, denounced the commemorative challenge coin created by an officer to mark the 15th anniversary of the South Central Police Patrol Station.

"This act has been considered blatantly racist to the African-American community," Hopkins said, adding that the coin has prompted questions from citizens about how police view the Black community. "The BPA will not stand for any level of racism against its officers, civilian members, city of Dallas employees, or the community."

Hopkins, in a press release Wednesday, said the racist coin was "created and attempted to be distributed by a Dallas police officer.”

The coin was initially advertised on a Dallas Police Association member Facebook page Tuesday with the officer’s name and $10 payment information to receive the coin.

NBC 5 has learned the officer’s name is Caleb McCollum. Voice mail and text messages to the officer’s phone number were not immediately returned. A Dallas police spokesperson confirmed an Officer Caleb McCollum is currently assigned to Southwest Patrol. 

A picture of the coin shared on social media depicted a Dallas police badge with the words South Central on one side and on the backside a depiction of the Dallas skyline with the words "Big T Plaza," a Southern Dallas shopping plaza, with a doughboy drug dealer with a gun, gold teeth and cash in hand. A police car is opposite a vehicle with large gold rims. A drug house is depicted at the bottom.

Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata said he immediately had the coin offer removed from the site as soon as he became aware of it Tuesday. Mata issued the following statement.

“I’m a firm believer when a person or organization makes an error in judgment or mistake they must own it to move forward. Yesterday I became aware of a person posting a coin for sale on the members' site that offended some and an item that I too believe was in very poor taste and had no business being on the DPA members page. I do my very best to watch over the site and be aware of what is on it, but regrettably, I can’t monitor the page 24 hours a day and catch everything. I was contacted by a member who brought it to my attention and I immediately deleted it. I understand it’s my responsibility to maintain the moral compass of the DPA members page. In saying, I want to apologize to any person who was hurt or offended by the post and I promise to be more diligent in my duties to ensure that this organization and the media sites within it respect all members at Dallas Police Association FOP 716.”

Challenge coins are often minted to commemorate an event or occasion or signify membership in a group and are used by a number of organizations, not just law enforcement.

"When they're done tastefully it's something to be proud of. This one was not," Garcia said.

Dallas City Council Member Tennell Atkins planned a community meeting Wednesday night to discuss city budget issues at a Dallas Library near the South Central Patrol Station. The largest portion of the city budget goes to public safety.

"That’s the number one priority in our city. When you have something like this you ask, 'are we putting our money in the right place?'" Atkins said.

The Big T shopping plaza is in the adjacent city council district of member Carolyn King Arnold where she has been promoting neighborhood policing.

"And so the bond that we’ve been working on to strengthen today becomes fractured," Arnold said.