DALLAS, Texas — The power to prosecute carries a responsibility to act honestly and treat people with respect. Dallas County District Attorney candidate Eric Reed says integrity and professionalism must define how the office handles cases, serves the public and manages its employees.
“The District Attorney sets the standard for the entire office,” said Reed. “You cannot demand integrity from your prosecutors while making excuses for your own conduct. You cannot expect professionalism from your staff if you do not demonstrate it yourself. Leadership begins with the example you set.”
Reed said these principles have practical consequences. Victims need accurate information and returned phone calls. Courts need prosecutors who arrive prepared. Defendants deserve a fair process, and employees need clear expectations and supervisors they can trust.
An office that tolerates dishonesty, disrespect or careless work puts both justice and public confidence at risk.
“Professionalism is more than how you speak in a courtroom,” said Reed. “It is whether you know your case, meet your obligations and treat people with dignity, including people who disagree with you. A person’s freedom or a victim’s chance for justice should never depend on whether someone in our office bothered to do the work.”
Reed would establish clear standards for ethical conduct and job performance, with supervisors responsible for enforcing them consistently. Hiring and advancement should reflect competence, sound judgment and service to the public. Employees should be able to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.
His priorities include:
• Ethical, independent decisions. Base prosecutions on the evidence and the law, free from political pressure, favoritism or personal conflicts.
• Preparation and reliable service. Expect thorough case review, timely communication and respect for the obligations prosecutors owe to courts, victims and the defense.
• A respectful workplace. Address bullying, harassment and retaliation, and hold supervisors accountable for their own conduct.
• Meaningful accountability. Review credible reports of misconduct promptly and impartially, regardless of an employee’s position or relationships.
• The courage to correct mistakes. Take credible claims of wrongful conviction seriously and act when the evidence shows an injustice.
Reed emphasized that accountability requires distinguishing between an honest mistake that must be corrected and misconduct that demands consequences. Employees need training and responsible supervision, along with leadership willing to confront problems.
“If someone makes a mistake, we need to address it and prevent it from happening again,” said Reed. “If someone conceals evidence, abuses their authority or retaliates against a colleague, we cannot look the other way. Winning cases does not excuse misconduct.”
Reed said a professional office must also be honest about what it can deliver. Victims should not receive promises prosecutors cannot keep, and the public should receive clear explanations of office policies and performance.
“Integrity means people can trust your word. Professionalism means they can depend on your work,” said Reed. “Dallas County deserves a District Attorney’s Office that earns both forms of trust every day.”
Learn more about Reed’s priorities at WriteinReed.com.