Dallas, TX
Dallas PD employee fired for allegedly submitting false information to obtain promotion
Interim Dallas police Chief Michael Igo on Thursday fired a police report representative who was accused of submitting false information on a job application to get a new position with the department.
Gina Fowler-Strickland, 60, was terminated for engaging in adverse conduct in connection with her arrest on a misdemeanor charge of “fraudulent, substandard, or fictitious degree,” police officials said. The civilian police employee was arrested and put on administrative leave in June 2023, internal police records show.
Igo declined to comment on his decision.
Reached by phone, Fowler-Strickland told The Dallas Morning News she feels numb and worked for nearly seven years for the city of Dallas. She was accused of falsely stating she had a postsecondary degree to get a promotion, court records show. The charge is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.
The case was dismissed Nov. 25 because she completed a pre-trial intervention program, according to court records.
Fowler-Strickland said the allegation stemmed from a job application that asked if she attended college, and she marked “yes.” She told The News she did attend college but didn’t graduate or get a degree, so she marked yes “because there was no other box to have to check” to indicate she had some college education.
She said she got the position, but soon after, was moved out of the new role when police launched an investigation.
“I don’t consider myself a criminal,” Fowler-Strickland said. “I never was a criminal. I mean, I did not falsify a document to be able to gain employment. I already qualified for the position.”
She said the process has been a “total nightmare,” adding she has waited at home for more than a year for the case to wrap up. She said she participated in the diversion program at her attorney’s suggestion.
She brought the case dismissal paperwork to the police hearing Thursday, she said, but was told by police brass that she couldn’t work for the department with a misdemeanor B on her arrest record.
“I didn’t have my day in court because they dismissed the charges,” Fowler-Strickland said. “It’s taken a whole year and a half. A person’s life is kind of turned upside down getting to the point of the hearing or the decision.”
She said she’s working to get her record expunged and plans to appeal Igo’s firing.
The firing is at least the fourth that Igo has handed down since he began to lead the police department in October. Last month, he also gave a written reprimand to Det. Esteban Montenegro, who mishandled a capital murder investigation into a fellow officer, and a 30-day suspension to Sgt. Arturo Martinez, who posted “aim better” online after a failed assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
More than 100 people gathered Friday night at a high school near the sealed‑off blast zone to honor the victims of the deadly explosion at The Clyde apartments in Oak Cliff.
The vigil – filled with hymns, prayers, and candles – brought together neighbors, local leaders, and pastors, many of whom were personally connected to those who died.
Just down the street, the debris field marks where three people were killed and five others injured when an explosion and fire tore through the complex earlier in the day.
Remembering Sylvia Collins
Among those honored was Sylvia Collins, a Democratic Party precinct chair known for her energy, advocacy, and signature raised‑fist rally pose.
State Rep. Cassandra Garcia‑Hernandez reflected on the loss, saying she couldn’t imagine taking another “fist‑up photo” with Collins.
State Sen. Royce West urged the community to remember Collins by continuing the work she championed.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the other two victims, believed to be a young woman and her toddler.
Search and Recovery Complete, Cause Still Unknown
Dallas Fire‑Rescue Chief Justin Ball confirmed that the search and recovery phase is complete, though he declined to comment on whether construction crews digging near the property may have struck a natural gas line before the blast.
Ball also defended the actions of firefighters who were on scene for up to 10 minutes before the explosion without ordering evacuations. He said crews first had to locate the source of the gas odor, secure a water supply, and gear up before they could begin clearing the building.
Lawsuit Filed Against Atmos Energy
One survivor has already filed a lawsuit against Atmos Energy, accusing the utility of failing to properly monitor for gas leaks. Attorney Sadi Antonmattei‑Goitia said incidents like this “don’t happen without bad decisions being made.”
Atmos did not respond to questions about the lawsuit but issued a statement saying the company’s “hearts go out to the people who were tragically lost, their families, and everyone who has been impacted.”
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A large fire destroyed an apartment complex in Dallas after crews responded to reports of a gas leak. Authorities say at least three people, including a child, were killed. Other residents are unaccounted for.
Published On 29 May 2026
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