DALLAS — The Dallas police officer who pinned Tony Timpa face-down on the ground for 14 minutes received a promotion during a Dallas Police Department ceremony Tuesday morning.
Dustin Dillard, an officer during the incident with Timpa in August 2016, was promoted to senior corporal, the next rank above officer which involves training rookies.
DPD’s staff page on their website states senior corporals are selected from the department when a vacancy in a squad occurs. Rule XIV under the City of Dallas’ civil service rules and regulations states officers who have served with DPD for three years, including two years as a police officer, are eligible to take the exam for the rank of senior corporal.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said during the ceremony that each officer being promoted is there because of their hard work and dedication to the department and the people they serve, and that with these promotions comes new challenges and greater responsibilities.
“Seeing your work, knowing the dedication, the cases you solve, the people of Dallas are in good hands,” Garcia said.
DPD Deputy Chief William Griffith said the promotion ceremony is an indication of what hard work and commitment has led to.
“This is not a small achievement,” Griffith said. “It is a profound achievement and the various divisions and units will be better and stronger for the experience and leadership you will be providing.”
Dillard can be seen in livestream footage of the ceremony shaking hands with Garcia and posing for pictures, with Garcia patting his arm.
Bodycam from Dillard in 2016 shows him holding down Timpa, along with three other officers—Raymond Dominguez, Kevin Mansell and Danny Vasquez—moments before he died in custody. Officers can be heard laughing in the background as Timpa’s face is buried into the ground and he is screaming and crying for help before falling unconscious.
Within minutes, body camera footage shows officers performing CPR on Timpa until he's declared dead by a paramedic.
An autopsy eventually found that Timpa had a cardiac death due to the toxic effects of cocaine and stress associated with physical restraint. Timpa also had an enlarged heart, medical reports show.
Three officers were indicted on misdemeanor deadly conduct charges, but those charges were dismissed in 2019 by Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot.
Most recently, a federal appeals court ruled the four officers could be sued over the case by the family, who claim there was excessive force used as well as bystander liability.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled the officers violated his Constitutional rights, which means they can be sued for his death.