Dallas police officer suspended over 'racist' challenge coin design
The Dallas police officer was suspended after meeting with Police Chief Eddie Garcia, the department said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Texas police officer has been suspended over his creation of a challenge coin that some Black officers have deemed as racist.
The Dallas Police Department told Fox News Digital that Officer Caleb McCollum was issued a five-day suspension Monday during a disciplinary hearing with Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
The coin design in question depicts a drug dealing character named "dough boy," who is seen holding an assault rifle, cash, and wearing gold teeth. It also features a car with gold rims and a Dallas police vehicle with the words "South Central" below.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A challenge coin deemed racist by some has resulted in the suspension of the Dallas police officer who created it. (KDFW)
It also has the words "Big T Plaza," which is a shopping center in the city's Oak Cliff neighborhood that primarily serves Black customers.
McCollum is a White officer in the department's South Central Division, FOX Dallas reported. He had been on administrative leave after the news of the coin was made public in August 2022.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At the time, the Dallas Black Police Association of Greater Dallas told the news outlet that the rendering was posted to its members page on social media and was later taken down. It added the coin is in "very poor taste."
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"Listen, I have stood before you many, many times to say that when we’re right, we’re right, regardless of the outside noise, but when we are wrong, we will hold ourselves accountable, and we are wrong," Chief Garcia said at the time. "This is not what we stand for."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Challenge coins are usually used by organizations like law enforcement and the military to boost morale. It is believed that the coins were never made.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the police association.