News Flash

FRISCO, TX – On the morning of Sunday, July 23rd, 2023, a Frisco Police Officer observed a black Dodge Charger with an out of state license plate leaving a hotel. Due to recent burglaries and vehicle thefts in which Chargers are frequently stolen, the officer conducted a computer check of the vehicle’s Arkansas license plate. However, when entering the information, the plate was mistakenly entered out of Arizona. The error resulted in an incorrect registration return, leading the officer to believe that the vehicle was possibly stolen. 

The officer then initiated a high-risk traffic stop on the Dallas North Tollway, which is standard procedure for stolen vehicles.   Once backup Officers arrived, they closed down southbound lanes and conducted a high-risk stop.  The driver and a backseat passenger were ordered out of the vehicle. About that time, a Frisco Police Sergeant arrived. The Sergeant realized the mistake and  immediately ordered officers to ‘stand down’ and ended the high-risk stop.

That same day, an incident review was initiated to determine what happened, how it was managed, and to evaluate what needed to be addressed to prevent this from happening in the future.  A preliminary assessment provided guidance reemphasizing certain training points to include ensuring the accuracy of information entered by officers.  An ongoing review will identify further changes to training, policies, and procedures.

“We made a mistake,” said Frisco Police Chief David Shilson.  “Our department will not hide from its mistakes.  Instead, we will learn from them. The officer involved quickly accepted responsibility for what happened, which speaks to integrity. I’ve spoken with the family. I empathize with them and  completely understand why they’re upset.  I apologized on behalf of our department and assured them that we will hold ourselves accountable and provide transparency through the process. This incident does not reflect the high standard of service that our officers provide on a daily basis to our residents, businesses and visitors.”

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