The following is a response from District Attorney Craig Watkins regarding the Dallas Morning News Editorial “Watkins Needs to Investigate the Constables.”

By Craig Watkins – Dallas County District Attorney

In (Monday’s) editorial, “Watkins needs to investigate the constables,” the Dallas Morning News failed to print my actual comment and instead chose to write an editorial that would leave readers with the false impression that I am not doing my job.  When asked last week by the Dallas Morning News whether the district attorney’s office was investigating two Dallas County constables (Precincts 1 and 5), my response was the same response we always give when complaints are made against elected officials and other public servants.  I would neither confirm nor deny whether we are investigating this issue.

To accuse me of “sitting on the sidelines” and suggest that I would allow alleged criminal activity to go unnoticed is disingenuous.  Just because I am not vetting my cases with the media and the court of public opinion, which I will never do, is hardly a reason to jump to the conclusion that I am not doing my job.

There is a reason why the district attorney’s office has prosecutorial independence.  There is a reason why we do not comment on potential public integrity issues.  My job as the criminal district attorney for Dallas County is to seek truth and justice, not to feed the insatiable appetite of those who have political agendas.

Yes, I do owe it to taxpayers to get to the truth, and the citizens of Dallas County can rest assured that I take my job very seriously and that I do it with the utmost integrity and sincerity.  If a crime has been committed, we will follow the law and do our jobs. However, under no circumstances should anyone expect the district attorney to discuss the particulars of any potential investigation or case.


Craig Watkins
Dallas County Criminal District Attorney